


Tepid Kindness

by Keikaru



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Study, Complicated Relationships, Complications, Emotional/Psychological Abuse Mentions, Feels, Friendship, Gen, Just Friends, M/M, Niles Shows Weakness, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possibly Unrequited Love, Rare Pairings, Slow Build, Strangers to Friends, Their Relationship is up for Open Interpretation, Trust Issues, Unfortunately Things Don't Go As Planned, Vulnerability, Witty Banter Ensues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-26 17:47:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7583986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keikaru/pseuds/Keikaru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Niles accuses Laslow of being tepid in his kindness. These two unlikely characters converse, and somehow, an amusing exchange occurs. (Slight Niles/Laslow if squinting hard enough. Wits, banter, and vulnerable moments ensue.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Breakdown

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a bit rusty in writing but I'm coming back to it. Please read & tell me what you think! I thought these two characters would make a delicious story since they had a Halloween DLC convo and now I just had to write something up for them. Tell me what you think! :)
> 
> ~Here's some [fanart from one of my readers, Mei! ](http://mei-kins.tumblr.com/post/149117475224/doodled-a-few-scenes-from-this-fic-nileslaslow)Check it out you guys! :D~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've rewritten some parts to this and added a few more details. It doesn't affect the plot though, just some more of Niles' thoughts and such.

Niles’ planted his feet apart, flawlessly parallel to each other. His hips were faced in the same direction where his feet pointed out, but the upper portion of his body was turned to the side, imitating an archer’s stance as they drew back their bow. There was a considerably painful pounding in his temple but he chose to ignore that for right now. With his hand poised and resting on the arrow—he had one eye detailing the strength and distance needed to hit his intended target. Inhaling a calm breath and holding it in, he thought archery was almost an art.

The elegance in his stance, every fluid motion of his limbs, the patience of drawing back his arrow with acquired muscle memory – it could almost be perfected.

Letting go of the arrow, he heard it _whoosh_ through the still night. Niles watched as the projectile flew. It flew, flew, flew until it went closer, closer, _closer_ toward the target until—

_Fffffthunk._

Saying ‘it almost could have made it’ would have been an understatement.

He had missed.

By a fucking long shot.

With a groan, he realized he couldn’t salvage anymore more of his pride left. Niles had depleted nearly all of his arrows during this practice and it seemed awfully pathetic to continue in this miserable state. The throbbing migraine had left him severely unfocused and his vision slightly impaired. It would have been in his best interests to have ceased two hours ago but he needed to blow off some steam, and what better excuse could he have used? Instead of relishing in the mastery of his skills (it would have given Niles a huge ego boost if were to actually _hit_ something), karma had been a beautiful bitch to wallop him with a migraine for no apparent reason. To make things worse, it seemed as if the cold, harsh moon was out to cast judgment upon the thief. He couldn’t escape the cruel gaze from the all seeing eye of the lunar goddess.

Or maybe he was just seeing shit because full moons caused people to go insane.

Gods, when did moons come to life anyways?

He couldn’t even escape the demons that threaten to swallow him up. And his demons – _oh_. They were oh- _so_ -very real. In fact, his demons loved crooning lullabies and words into his ears when he couldn’t sleep at night. Demons loved gracing his dreams with infrequent visits and adore it when he wakes up in full sweat. That would make him touch his eyepatch’d eye in fear of reliving those wretched days. OH—and demons were completely enraptured with their cruelty when they creep on Niles on days like this. Days when the moon was full.

It made the memories seem like hot irons branded into his flesh. A scar to remind him of what was real. What happened in the past. A memory he couldn’t escape.

 

Clutching his side, Niles couldn’t help but feel a wave of nausea hit him like a whiplash. He knew how dammed his demons were and he knew how his legs  would grow wobbly each and every time. Apprehension soon started to invade his senses and even though he _knew_ there was nothing to be afraid of, he always relived these moments like they were his first.

The stench of rotting corpses and filthy sewage forced its way into his nostrils and Niles fell to his knees, gagging as the memory of the slums came back to him. Like it was burned into the back of his eyelids.

_Come on, pull yourself together, dammitt._

But he knew whenever these memories resurfaced—they would force him to bow.

Leaning forward, he stretched his arms out and his hands touched the cool, smooth floor of the training ground. He needed to know this was just a memory, a hallucination, that this wasn’t real. Not even close to being real. But he was beginning to relive it again. Perspiration crept along his temple, back, and neck, making his unwanted past resurface to a tangible level. He could remember hearing the inhuman screams of the damned. The shrieks of unruly behavior and the cries of victims being tormented to no end.

And he remembered. Blood was everywhere. On his hands and clothes—there was _so much_ blood trailing down his face and onto his ratty garb. There was an intense pain piercing through one of his eyes—and he could only see half of the world now. Oh god—he fucked up so bad. So, so, very bad to have lost an organ he couldn’t get back.

And he was only just a child.

Why were people so goddamn cruel to street urchins?

 So he screamed. A  heartbrokenly raw scream that pierced through the disgusting alley way he was left to die in. “Mother” wouldn’t hear him, nor would “father” even care. They had left him a long time ago—but tonight? Niles had a yearning that maybe, just maybe…his parents would come back to help him. To tell him he would be fine and that he would continue life without an eye.

So he laid there, giving his parents the benefit of the doubt to come find him.

Coming around with consciousness hours later, he had woken up in a back alley clinic. He soon learned that he was brought in by a prostitute that pitied him. She even used all of her hard earned savings to get treatment for his eye.

 A few days later, news got around that a prostitute later committed suicide.

He never got to properly thank her.

Hell, he wasn’t even sure if they were the same prostitute. If they were, what difference could a simple thank you would have done to help these people?

 

Niles gagged, his vision slowly becoming impaired and blurred. Only for the briefest of moments, he was granted a small reprieve from his past. The chill of the night air became evident as it sliced through his outlaw clothes—sliced through his abysmal memories. A shiver rain down his spine as he stayed in that position, on his hands and knees, trying to grapple from what was real and what was not. The distinctions between reality and his past began to blur together at one point, causing Niles to question his mental state and to pathetically crawl to the edge of the training field to throw up.

The thief did feel somewhat better, but the resonating pain in his head refused to subside. Wiping his mouth, Niles sat up, feeling his memories beginning to dissipate for another day. His morbid thoughts eventually ceased, causing his empty eye socket to ache, a reminder that everything that just occurred was indeed real. Gingerly touching his eye patch, he wondered if he would have taken his own life if Lord Leo hadn’t come into his life.

_It won’t help to keep replaying the past._ He breathed in and out, slowing down his heart rate to a steady pace.

  _But Lord Leo gave me this new life to start anew. I shouldn’t disgrace his kindness with this tarnished behavior._

He then gazed up at the harsh, unyielding moon, involuntarily reaching out for it. It was seemed as if, the moon was beckoning for his touch.

_Is it worth saving a damnable person like me? I’ve done awful things…to survive._

She no longer had an aloof judgment, rather, she had a welcoming, pale light offering Niles the guise of peace.

She had shown pity for him.

_Pathetic._

Falling on his back, Niles closed his eye.

_I don’t deserve Lord Leo’s kindness._

He could fight with his demons another day, but for now—he needed to rest. He needed to replenish his strength for tomorrow and the many days to come. After all—they were still in a midst of war.

And war…managed to offer a retreat from his demons.

And for Niles—that was simply good enough.

* * *

 

He came to around the early hours of dawn, but there wasn’t the sting of the cold air caressing his body. There was a blanket draped over Niles’ body. In fact, he also felt somebody’s presence near him. But their back was turned to Niles and they seemed to be doing something. Were they trying to rob him? That would be ludicrous. They were all comrades here.

Blinking the sleep out of his eye, Niles slowly turned his head and saw attire that resembled a mercenary’s garb. How peculiar. He hardly associated anyone other than his liege, Lady Azura, Odin, and a few others. So who could this daring fiend be?

As Niles tried to get up, he groaned, feeling the dull ache of the migraine pulsing through again.

Apparently, the figure was startled and mumbled something before making their hasty exit.

Somewhat peeved yet curious, Niles glanced over to what the stranger was doing. And amusingly enough, Niles couldn’t help but smirk a bit.

_Oh my. That’s unexpected._

All of his arrows appeared neatly arranged back in his quiver container.

_Maybe I have a new admirer._

And the fleeting mercenary had light steps and brunette hair. It wasn’t Selena, that was for sure. So Niles had a feeling of who it was.

It was Laslow wasn’t it.

It was more of a statement than a question really.

Exhausted, Niles turned his head the other way and closed his eyes. He could confront the latter for juicy details later. As sleep began to dull out his senses, a hazy thought flirted with his mind.

_Mnnnh…mer…cenary…_

His thoughts were choppy and incoherent as he tried to form a complete thought.

… _what if…he saw…_

But maybe that thought could be pushed aside for a little longer _…that would be nice_ , Niles mused. But his mind began to hound him about something. Something didn’t seem quite right. Maybe there was something that seemed amiss?

… _what if he saw…_

_…saw…saw what…_

_Ah forget it…_

Sleeping without a full eight hours really fucks on one’s priorities.

_I’m too goddamn tired for this._

But, just to be on the safe side…he wasn’t entirely asleep. During that transition of being half awake and asleep, maybe he could try and continue his thoughts.

_…see what again exactly?_ His thoughts were still jumbled. _Arrows…practicing…? He could have…what again…_

Wait, did Laslow… _see_ something?

_…he saw…and…will tell other people…_

_Of your vulnerability..._

Sleep almost enveloped him completely until—

Oh.

There it was.

Oh _no_.

Reality began to hit him. _OH NO_.

_Laslow will tell other people what he saw the night before._

His eye shot open faster than an arrow.

_Oh shit._

_Did he...did he witness my display of ’indisposition’?!_

With that, Niles vehemently threw off the blanket and gathered his bow and quiver. Showing weakness was one thing, but getting _blackmailed_? Oh fucking no—this just got more than personal.

_It got intimate._

Niles had an awful feeling that his reputation was at stake now.

And certain kindness, _can_ and _will_ get you killed.

_Gods damn it all_.

_Why can’t I suffer in peace?_


	2. Exasperation

From afar, Niles was hiding in a tree, scoping out the scene playing below him. There was the green ninja, Kaze, socializing politely with Lady Azura. The blue haired princess let out a soft laugh as Kaze mentioned something about being in town and being handed many vegetables for no apparent reason at all. Disinterested in their chatter, Niles averted his gaze toward something else.

He wanted to find the brunette mercenary in particular, but somehow, the man eluded Niles’ sharp eyes. Perhaps his eyes weren’t as sharp as they used to be, and perhaps, it was because of the constant migraines recently. _Obviously_ , Niles frowned, trying to remember when the migraines started frequented him. They hadn’t started too long ago. In fact—this was a rather new symptom to him. Even though it slightly interfered with his work and fighting (the pain would usually show up after battles or whenever he was resting, so luckily it didn’t interfere so much with his daily duties), it was usually bearable on most days. Emphasis on _usually_ bearable, because Niles was sure as hell that sometimes, these migraines would seriously fuck up his vision sometimes. Probably even impair his archery skills too. But it hasn’t happened during a battle yet, so that was good.

Yet it couldn’t help to be careful. The archer had thought about confiding into Lord Leo about his ailment, but he reconsidered it and thought about seeking out a medic instead. Lord Leo had enough to deal with—and Niles didn’t want to trouble his liege anymore than he should. After all, the little prince had enough problems on his plate already. Father issues, concubine wars—Niles’ had heard it all from the royal. And Niles did pity the boy at times, but then again—Lord Leo would chastise Niles’ about pity.

 _The strong do not need pity—the strong just fights on._ It was similar to what Lord Leo would have said to him anyways.

Before he knew it, a small smile began to play on his lips. _Heh, enough with the sentimentalities. Lord Leo would worry since I sound like a worried parent coddling their child._

So his smiled slipped away, focusing on the task at hand.

_After all… I’ve got a rabbit that still needs to be sniped at._

Niles shook himself out of his reverie of thoughts and continued to spy around the castle grounds. It was still a strange feeling to be in the astral plane. Even if the castle proved to be safe, there were still invisible soldiers that attempted to invade their refuge. Although, every now and then Lord Corrin would warp his troops back into the real world to camp out and restock within the towns they were closely stationed by. The astral plane was decent and all, but every once in awhile, the troops would like to come back to Nohrian continent. Something that seemed more concrete than a wishy-washy astral plane logic.

 _Plus, the astral plane doesn’t provide everything for us_ , Niles mused. _But the it does provide general safety when we’re within the insurmountable walls_.

After mundanely scoping the castle grounds one last time, Niles jumped down from the tree and bent his knees upon impact. Laslow was nowhere to be found and this made the outlaw vaguely disappointed and annoyed. Surely the brown haired man was either fulfilling his duties (probably) or being a floozy within the nearest town. _Definitely the latter_ , Niles presumed, with a shake of his head. He sometimes couldn’t comprehend how Laslow was Lord Xander’s retainer. It was almost baffling to believe—yet it was true.

He began to lean on the tree trunk under the shade, trying to concoct a way to make the mercenary show himself. It had to be inconspicuous though. Something casual to lure out the flowery man. Glancing around again, he noticed it was a little bit warm outside. But a pleasant breeze ruffled his light hair, and Niles didn’t bother to comprehend the strange weather cycle of the astral plane.

 Perhaps some things can remain a mystery for all he cared.  

Noting that Lady Azura and Kaze were still chatting, he watched them. Lady Azura was such a kind and honest princess, and Niles admired her. He had gone out of his ways to make acquaintance with her, since she seemed to share similarities to him. That was one of the best things Niles had ever done, and he was on good terms with the princess. But the green ninja was still a mystery to him. He didn’t know Kaze very well and never bothered to strike up a conversation with him. But, if Lady Azura deemed him as a good man, Niles should rest his case.

“…and it was odd that many more women in town gave me turnips and ripe fruit! It would have been rude of me to turn them down, so I merely gave them my sincerest gratitude and accepted them.” Kaze explained, a confused look crossing his features.

Even from afar, Niles had sharpened his other senses to compensate for his missing eye.

“Oh, heh. You must be very popular with the women in town, Kaze,” Azura  mused, a smile lighting her features. “Perhaps you should relax every now and then and have some tea with some of them? I’m sure someone would like to be in your position!”

They both shared fond looks and smiles before continuing their light hearted chatter.

 _Hmm._ An idea scampered around in his mind. Well, more like a realization dawned on him.

If the mercenary liked to philander around in town for an outing…what if Niles were to…

What if decides to propose to Laslow for an outing? But in discreet means.

_This will probably work. Either he’s desperate or simply eager, he’ll probably accept a mysterious outing on a note._

With a deviously delicious grin, Niles pushed himself off the tree and went to go look for some nice parchment to write on. In a neat and lovely handwriting (forgery of handwriting was one of his many skills in the underworld), the outlaw wrote something sweet and simplistic before stalking off to find Laslow’s tent. Niles took a sweeping glance around and nobody was around. Good. He then stuck the note on Laslow’s tent flap and felt satisfied with his plan. Walking off into the distance, Niles wondered if there was anything Lord Leo needed to be done in town.

After all, he was killing two birds with one stone. And this…this was going to be a hell of an amusing time for him.

* * *

Throughout the day, one of things that has been bothering Laslow the most was that he had almost been shot at while practicing dancing last night. If that stray arrow were to actually injure him, that would have been an unusual explanation to Lord Xander and his comrades about the injury. With a sigh, Laslow rubbed the back of his neck. Functioning on little hours of sleep was positively draining, but he managed to squeeze in time for dancing  since he was quite avid and passionate about it. Even though Lord Xander cautioned him that he would tire himself out, Laslow would somehow manage to make time for things.

As Laslow paused his thoughts to greet his fellow comrades –Selena, Kaze, Odin— he smiled at them before making his way toward his tent. It was around midday at this point and he felt tired. Perhaps a quick nap would rejuvenate his spirits again.

But in all honesty, there was something else that had been bothering him since the early hours of the morning.

It was about the outlaw. Laslow frowned a bit, something he hardly ever did. Even in times of war.

The thief. The lock picker. The seemingly sketchy member in the army. Laslow could rattle off many other alias, but he paused to respectfully refer his comrade in arms as Lord Leo’s trusted retainer.

 _Niles_.

Laslow almost halted his trek to his tent. There was something that had been gnawing away at Laslow’s thoughts and in his mind, he was replaying back the events that just happened between them. Even though Laslow didn’t personally know the outlaw, he understood it was his duty to try and befriend the people in his army. It was good to understand and socialize people who fought with you side by side. And perhaps it was a shame to pass up this opportunity to make friends with Niles.

But…this wasn’t the way Laslow wanted to talk to Niles. Not after witnessing Niles in a state…of severe distress and pain. It was actually a surprising, if not, a concerning sight to behold. Not once had Laslow ever seen Niles reduced too in such a way. He had never even seen the roguish man break down and looking ever so pathetic. It was so out of character, even for Niles himself. Laslow’s frown deepened. For the rest of the day, Laslow had tried to distract his thoughts by carrying out jobs, restocking supplies, be on cooking duty, mine some ores and the like around the castle grounds. He wanted to try and not remember the face Niles’ made when he saw the man gaze up at the night sky, his hand outstretched and reaching out for the moon.

In that fatal encounter of accidentally witnessing something he shouldn’t have, Laslow couldn’t help but feel as if…the outlaw wasn’t as cruel or lewd (probably lewd nevertheless) as his reputation appeared. The rogue himself seemed as if…he wasn’t a ruthless criminal. A terrifying archer with a surpassing skill to kill.

He seemed human.

So very human.

 _Niles_ seemed human.

And it was…albeit, a startling realization for Laslow. Well, of course Niles was human. It was just, Niles didn’t seem like he was capable of producing kind, _human_ e feelings. Such as remorse, sympathy and the like. The happy emotions. Those positive emotions, at least.

Not once had Laslow ever socialized with the man. Not once had Laslow ever thought of Lord Leo’s retainer as friendly, amiable, or even approachable. Laslow had heard all the hushed chatter some soldiers in the army described Niles as. And the rumors? They were simply baffling. Laslow didn’t know there was a reformed criminal working along the ranks of the army—and he didn’t expect a royal to take in a criminal as their retainer. Even with all the negative and ill spoken rumors circulated around the outlaw, Laslow couldn’t help but feel… _intrigued_ by the man. Perhaps there was more to Niles than his appearance and former reputation upheld.

 _After all_ , Laslow thought, his frown slowly turning into a small, sympathetic smile. _Maybe I could try and be acquainted with him. Maybe I can apologize to him and start on a better—_

Laslow halted immediately in his tracks. _Who am I kidding? I can’t do this! Plus…_

The mercenary remembered something that eluded his memory. _He SAW me gathering up his arrows! That means…he probably thinks_ I _witnessed him breaking down! AGHH. That wasn’t my intention in the first place though!_

Laslow furrowed his eyebrow and continued walking. He crossed his arms over his chest and kept thinking it over. _Ah, I was such a fool for accidentally spying on him. I couldn’t help it! I thought someone needed help so I just…tried to help._

He shook his head. _This is no good. Mulling it over is not going to help so it would probably be in my best interest to apologize and try to make amends._

Laslow paused again and shook his head in agreement to his thoughts.

_After all, that’s what Lord Xander would have done._

But he halted yet again and sighed out loud in frustration.

_…but I’m NOT Lord Xander at all!_

_…yet, I’m not a coward either._

_I have to man up and do this. For the sake of my good natured self and guilt—it’s the only natural thing to do._

Finally reaching a concession with his thoughts, Laslow finally made his way back to his tent—only to be met with a mysterious note attached to his tent flap. “What’s this?” he inquired, carefully taking the note and reading it.

_Perchance, would you like to get to know each other over some tea?_

_I would like to make acquaintance with you, flower boy._

_Meet me up at 4:30pm after lunch?_

_Location: in Buttercup Coffeehouse. The table under the bright green awning._

_I’ll be waiting!_

_~ Loves and kisses xoxox_

Laslow finished the note and almost beamed with delight as he read it. The handwritten was extraordinarily feminine and pretty, and Laslow ran  a list of potential candidates in the army through his head: _Charlotte, Lady Camilla, or Felicia possibly? Maybe even Peri or Lady Elise? Or perhaps a town girl that saw me the other day? Oh my, this is exciting! Maybe we’ll even share things in common! I can’t wait!_

Instantly forgetting all of the serious thoughts from earlier, Laslow decided to change his shirt and tidy up a little bit. It’s actually a change in pace for once for him, an Laslow couldn’t help but genuinely smile.

 _Maybe I could even find a girl to love and perhaps things can go further than that,_ the mercenary hummed contently _. Maybe I can even show mother the girl I fell in love with._

_…_

_And I think that would make her very happy_ , Laslow paused, smiling at his reflection and before deciding to brush his hair back.

_I think that would make Olivia very happy._

_That’s what she would have wanted for me…_

* * *

_This is rather…_

Laslow was holding onto a bouquet of daisies in one hand and the note in the other. In front of him, was a man with snowy white hair and an eye patch. It was Niles—and was already seated and taking a sip from his cup of tea, motioning for Laslow to sit down.

 _Unexpected_.

The brunette made a confused expression and he set the flowers on the table, not expecting someone like him to appear right before his eyes. Surely this was a mistake, _right_?

But this was the only table under the _green_ awning.

 Not blue or red, or purple or pink. But _green._

The _green_ awning.

“Fancy to make your acquaintance, Niles,” Laslow started, but he couldn’t help but feel slightly scandalized for some odd reason. “But I have a rendezvous with a lovely lady here soon. Would you, perhaps, enjoy your cup of tea in another table? Not to be rude or anything of course, take your time.”

Niles placed his tea cup down and merely smiled. “I’m afraid you have been mistaken, flower boy. The one you’ve brought flowers for are for _me_. And they are quite lovely, so thank you for that,” Niles plucked a flower from the bouquet and Laslow only stared at him in surprise. Niles chuckled and plucked the petals off, letting them fall to the ground, only to get swept up by the breeze. “Please, sit down—you’re looking a little pale, if I do say so myself.”

The realization slowly began to sink in, and Laslow did feel a bit pale himself. He…had been tricked, hadn’t he? Conned maybe? He wasn’t daft. He began to piece things. Glancing at the note in his hand, he saw the pretty handwriting. Laslow skimmed it to make sure it was the _green_ awning and…Oh. Niles had called him ‘flower boy’ in the note too. This was more than just a coincidence. (Oh gods, and not to mention the xoxoxo’s Laslow saw, was that really necessary? Laslow cringed inwardly for thinking it was a pretty girl writing that. Oh gods, why?)

Just what does Niles exactly want with him just to come up with this idea to invite him for tea?

Suddenly, Laslow remembered that he couldn’t forget the events from earlier. Earlier in the day. The early hours. That moment.

Niles alone in the moonlight, asking for forgiveness.

_Damn it._

_I suppose I’ll have to take a rain check for ‘the date’._

Cautiously sitting down, Laslow couldn’t help but ring up a waitress for some tea. It looked like Niles had something to discuss, and Laslow knew what it was. Hell, Laslow sensed something was wrong as he approached Buttercup Coffeehouse. Something was deliberately off, but somewhere, deep in his mind, Laslow wished for once a girl had asked him out. One little request wasn’t too much, right?

But no. He was having tea with the outlaw now.

This was clearly a strange way to start things off.  Yet…

 _Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad though_ , Laslow thought, trying to assure himself as his order was placed on the table in front of him.

_Maybe there’s a chance to fix things._

Before Laslow could even pick up his tea, Niles took another sip of his drink before setting it down abruptly. Laslow heard the clinking of the cup and dish as Niles said:

“Don’t give me tepid sincerity—I know your intentions are malicious.”

Niles was obviously referring to _that_ event. Even if he was, the suddenness of his words made Laslow pause, analyzing Niles’ words carefully.

“ _Tepid_?” Laslow furrowed his brow. “Honestly, Niles, I care for my comrades so it would be within my character to aid them in any way possible.” Surely Niles could understand his actions.

“Humph. Your actions seem… _shallow_ ,” Niles clicked his tongue in annoyance, “And your trite flattery and disarming smile makes me uneasy. You are what I like to call... _comme ci, comme ça._ ”

“…pardon?” confusion blossomed on the latter’s face. The conversation isn’t starting off in the way Laslow wanted it to be.

“You’re lukewarm, so-and-so,” the thief made a circular motion with his hand, casually explaining. “Like this, or like that. It makes it difficult for me to pin down your motives if you’re joining hands with everybody like that.”

Laslow quirked an eyebrow, feeling unprepared to fend for himself from Niles’ pointed words. What would persuade the ally sitting across from him that Laslow’s kindness was genuine? “I can assure you, this is not out of personal pursuit. I just want to help out in times of war. I haven’t seen anybody get hurt by a little smile and gift combo here and there. But have you?”

Niles studied the man sitting adjacent from him, eyes narrowed and glinting.

“Oooh, you’re good aren’t you?” Niles accused, with a smug smile on his face. “Trying to string your words carefully like a crafted dancer. I see what you’re trying to do—and you do it _well_.  You have plausible alibis and a cordial smile to top it off smoothly,” He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest, blowing a tuff of white hair out of his eye. “I still don’t trust you though. But you don a pretense rather well, so I have to give you meager credit for that.”

The skepticism from Niles’ tone really made Laslow bewildered. _My gods, I just wanted to do a simple act of kindness!_

At this point, Laslow reconsidered his kindness toward Niles in the first place. The poor comrade looked cold and pathetic when Laslow came back from dance practice and thought, why not aid someone who looked like they needed assistance? But then he accidentally witnessed Niles breaking down—something that was completely, and utterly _unintentional_. To make up from his inadvertent peeping, Laslow wandered off to find Niles’ arrows (he missed one after counting them all) and fetched a blanket for the poor sap. And in that encounter, it was the first time Laslow saw Niles in a vulnerable standpoint, something not even Lord Leo or Odin saw very often. So that was the moment that urged Laslow to realize, perhaps it was a shame that he never got to know Lord Leo’s other retainer very well.

But now? The mercenary was having _severe_ second thoughts. The roguish thief was starting to make the dancer uncomfortable, even slightly wary now.

“You’ve had that serious look on your face for about two minutes now. Cat got your tongue? Or did I deliciously agitate you?” there was almost a victorious smirk playing on Niles’ lips. “Or do you like what you see?”

Laslow feigned a small smile. Niles could really crawl under someone’s skin. “I think our tea time is quite over now, Niles. I think it’s been lovely but I had forgotten Lord Xander had entrusted me with a parcel that needs deliverance. Now, would you excuse me.” As he began to rise from his seat, Niles let out a chuckle, causing the latter to raise an eyebrow in question.

“Trying to run away, are you now? Heh, it’s fine. I think this may be our first, and might I add _last_ encounter here anyways. I have Lord Leo’s orders to carry out too, besides—” Niles stood up, fishing for some change from his pockets before carelessly tossing them onto the table. He then walked over toward Laslow, putting a hand on his shoulder and almost passing the brunette.

Leaning close near Laslow’s ear, the thief quietly mused in an almost threatening way, “If you were to _ever_ to tell anybody what happened on that night, let’s just say…you’ll _wish_ you would have spared that tepid kindness for someone else. Now then,” Niles patted the latter’s shoulder and gave a half-assed wave. “See ya, flower boy.”

The white haired male began to walk away, whistling a merry tune like nothing happened between them. “Oh,” Niles glanced over his shoulder. “And I can’t believe Lord Xander would knight you as his retainer. It’s such a shame that he chose a floozy like you. Unless…” Niles cracked a wicked grin. “…you do _more_ than offer your fealty. Perhaps you offer your dancer hips for something else in return. Oh my, that’s scandalous~”

During those few seconds, a whirlwind of thoughts invaded Laslow’s mind. It was one thing calling him a flirt, but it was another thing when someone insulted his liege’s reputation for something as outrageous as that. With newfound annoyance, confound belligerence, and a sarcastic retort threatening to crack  his friendly countenance, it was something that genuinely surprised the dancer himself. He wasn’t easily peeved as most of his peers, but there was a certain degree of hostility and accusations he could only take before bursting. And somehow—Niles had a knack for pressing people’s buttons.

If one could call that a skill, that is.

Laslow then let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding in, and before he knew what he was doing, Laslow called out to the cocky thief and yelled without even caring who heard: “NILES! You can be so _infuriating_ at times! _And_ —” he clenched his fists together, his usually amiable composure slackened. “You are someone who Lord Xander would like to refer to as needing a _Backpfeifengesicht!_ ”

Laslow felt almost relieved after spitting out that reply. But something frightening dawned on him.

He might have well just dug his own godforsaken grave.

“A _what?_ ” Niles halted in his walk and whirled around, spitting out words in an almost mocking, sardonic manner. Almost as if sulfuric acid dripped from the viciousness of his tone. “Oooh, pray tell, what _does_ that mean? Please, _enlighten_ me, your honor.” The rogue narrowed his eye,  a venomous aura radiated from his body and for a moment, Laslow instantly regretted all of his past mistakes and wondered if this was where he could potentially find himself in an early death. 

“It means,” A bit pale, Laslow retorted back, keeping his voice amazingly steady after witnessing Niles’ penetrating glare. “You deserve a punch to the face sometimes.”

With a quirk of Niles’ eyebrow—almost instantly, the ferocious aura seemed to have dissipated—he seemed thoroughly amused by Laslow’s display of boldness. It wasn’t everyday somebody outwitted him in foreign words and phrases, after all, serving Lord Leo did allow him access to his study.

Niles was almost impressed, but still a bit pissed: _huh, this one’s feisty. I bet it’ll be fun to toy with him._   

As for the dancer–he felt somewhat smug for knowing a word Niles didn’t know. But in hindsight, Laslow noticed the sarcasm in the latter’s voice and ultimately feared what might happen next. Tearing his eyes away from Niles’ challenging gaze, he shook his head and began to leave, feeling a tinge of apprehension and exasperation to what just ensued. _I don’t know how some people manage to deal with him, especially Lord Leo and Odin. Ahh, geez. Why does a nice guy like me have to be involved in things like this? I just want to show my gratitude and make someone’s day during the brutal campaign of war…_

As Laslow continued to shake his head, he made a silent promise to himself that no matter how much Niles could get under his skin—Laslow would never resort to telling anyone Niles’ weakness. Of course, Laslow knew how it felt to feel vulnerable and helpless. He wasn’t that cruel nor awful to tell anyone what happened between them. It would stay a secret until he died.

_It’s probably best for me to avoid him from now on. He seems awfully suspicious of me._

Laslow frowned once again as he began to walk back toward the forest. Somewhere within the trees, there was a special place to travel back into the astral plane.

It was odd how that worked, but he never questioned it.

Deciding that he has had enough surprises for one day, Laslow let out a long sigh and reconsidered trying to be friends with the outlaw. It seemed futile since the man was hostile and accusatory. Perhaps it was best to leave it at that. Being allies could just suffice—even though it would mean missing out on an opportunity to know another ally.

 _But it’s Niles! He has proven to me that he doesn’t trust me at all—much less, want to become acquaintances_. _Plus…he has insulted my liege and myself. That…actually hurts._

The mercenary sighed again. _Lord Xander might want to know where I am. Shoot. I forgot to tell him where I was going. Gah. I’ll just suffer the consequences. Maybe Owai—Odin, and Selena can help cheer me up again…_

* * *

Niles had watched the brunette leave the coffeehouse and disappeared through the small crowd. Thankfully enough, there was barely any witnesses to their short argument. Even if someone did, Niles would just give them a sugar sweet smile before excusing himself to go after his ‘friend.’ But since nobody asked what went down, Niles was glad that he could leave the scene in peace. It was somewhat of a chore as he waited for Laslow to arrive under the green awning. As the mercenary did, it was amusing to see the brunette in high spirits and with flowers in hand. Laslow was really earnest whenever he did things—it made it easier to trust the silly mercenary. Niles scoffed. Of course he knew he was purposely accusing Laslow of being tepid, but he just wanted to get a rise out of the latter. It served as entertainment, and from that, Niles was able to gouge out what kind of person Laslow was.

He seemed like he could keep a secret, and that was good enough for Niles. Niles didn’t need anyone to blabber their mouth off about things they didn’t need to. He could probably put some faith in Laslow not to tell what happened between them the night before.

Well, if worse comes to worse, Niles could always hire Beruka to assassinate Laslow. He’s expendable, right? Besides, Lord Xander could probably use a more reliable retainer rather than one who chases after skirts. Somewhat assured that his secret could be kept, Niles began to leave the coffeehouse.

It was time to dig up some dirt on the fellow mercenary.

_One can never be too careful._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope Laslow was in character. I tried to make the transitions okay.  
> *UPDATE: also revised some parts to make it flow a bit better. I still feel kind of iffy, but oh well.


	3. Conversations & Misgivings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler chapter for now! I will have the next chapter written soon though.

Several days had passed since the coffeehouse incident.

Laslow had been jumpy whenever he saw Niles cross his path—so the latter always made an excuse to tag along another ally or friend that happened to be conveniently nearby. The mercenary couldn’t trust himself to face Niles alone, since…well, it was Niles for Naga’s sake. The thief possessed an aura that was meant to be intimidating and Laslow couldn’t help but blanch at the mention of him. Or even the sight of him. It was awful that Laslow had to skip some meals since Niles would always hang outside the mess hall to eat. Sometimes, the thief would be accompanied by Lord Leo or Odin, or maybe be graced by Lady Azura herself. How those people deal with Niles would continue to be a mystery to him.

It was too boggling to find any redeeming points within Niles.

_Or…maybe he just hates me in particular because of that… ARGH! I swear my intentions afterwards were genuine though!_

Sighing, Laslow felt his stomach growl in hunger. He was hiding behind a few trees that were near the mess hall and wistfully gazed at the food on other people’s plates. Oh how he wished he could get some delicious, fluffy rolls or some tenderized meat with some seasoning. But damn his coward-ness in avoiding that _certain_ someone! This wouldn’t have happened if Laslow decided to _ignore_ Niles in the first place, and _ignore_ the arrow that whizzed past him while he was practicing his dance moves. He could have _ignored_ everything he saw and could have _ignored_ helping the pitiful thief in the first place.

But he _couldn’t_.

Laslow really couldn’t.

He couldn’t stand to watch anyone in pain to be left there all alone like that.

He knew what it was like. He understood the feeling—comprehended the feeling of sudden abandonment and helplessness. And to be honest? It looked like Niles was going through intense flashbacks that were deemed severely traumatizing. Still, Laslow had to admit…he was still concerned about the thief since he had shown no signs of trouble or symptoms of stress. Perhaps Niles was just too good at hiding it—and he really was. It was almost enviable. Laslow was like an open book, whereas Niles was his foil—the suave, mysterious cool guy or whatever.

_…hold on. I can be suave too! It’s just…we have different approaches to ladies…and men too. Indeed we do. That’s right._

_…_

_AH, who am I kidding? Niles just seem to one up me for that and—_

“Laslow, quit your sulking and go get some food already! Geez! I heard your stomach from over here!” the sudden feminine voice startled him from his hiding spot, and before Laslow could even filter out his thoughts, he automatically replied with: “GAH! BACK, STAY BACK FROM ME! I CAN ASSURE YOU I HAVE NO MONEY.”

That resulted him in almost getting punched by Selena, but luckily—the red head had matured from those antics and instead, ignored his silly words and held something out for her friend.

It was food. Selena was offering a plate of food for him.

Laslow almost cried from joy as he graciously accepted the food and sat down on the ground, leaning against the tree trunk to eat. Selena only sighed and muttered, “idiot” as she began to sit down next to him. Of course, her tone wasn’t sardonic at all. It was more friendly and amiable.

“You cannot believe how hungry I was! Thank you, Selena! I’ll make sure to assist you out if you need me!” Laslow beamed, happily taking a bite out of his warm roll before taking a drink of water. “You are definitely my favorite person as of this moment.”

Selena just turned her head the other way, pigtails swishing as  she tried to hide her smile with a frown. “Tsk, you should have gotten dinner thirty minutes ago! You were lucky I was on duty today, otherwise, I wouldn’t have secured some more for myself for you,” after a slight pause, Selena added quietly, “I noticed, you know. If there’s something that’s bothering you…why don’t you…tell us what’s going on? Odin and I, like old times? Why are you acting so weird lately?”

* * *

Over the course of their friendship, Laslow had remembered Selena hadn’t always been honest or open with her feelings. Indeed she could be difficult at times, but she always came through for him till the end. She and Odin had been his good friends, and a few others..but that was the past. For now in the present, Laslow was glad he had two good friends to anchor himself—and truth be told, he wouldn’t made it this far without them.

Laslow continued to eat, picking up a fork to eat some leafy greens and vegetables strewn across his plate. He couldn’t afford to waste food, so he made a face before eating them all. Soon, the brunette began to think about what his friend had said and was touched that Selena had noticed his troubles.

The red head waited patiently as her friend began to finish his meal, of course, they had a lot of time so there wasn’t the need to rush. Besides, she needed to get some fresh air. The tumultuous kitchen was cramped full of their army wanting to get extras and such, so Selena left Peri in charge. Peri seemed a bit unpredictable and psychotic, but her cooking was immensely delicious—her skills could have made the angels sing heavenly choirs accompanied with all sorts of blessed holy music.

They were that satisfying.

Maybe Selena herself could concoct something as appetizing. Probably. But she pushed those thoughts aside, realizing that Laslow seemed ready to confide into her now.

Laslow breathed in deeply and exhaled it, setting down his plate on the grass next to him. The silverware clinked together as he gathered it all onto the place and soon, he turned to face Selena—with a heavy look on his features. His eyes were cast downward at his hands he seemed to have a frown on his face. It was baffling. She had never seen him in such a state. At least, not after what had happened before they got to Nohr.

Selena could only watch, wondering what was immensely bothering her friend. She deducted that this problem didn’t seem as if it stemmed from girls’ crushing his flirtatious attempts. It seemed, as if, this dilemma was caused by another matter. Something grim, possibly witnessing or realizing something…awful.

 The long pause was almost agonizing as she waited. The background noise of amicable chattering soon subsided as she was lost in her thoughts. Selena made a list of potential things Laslow could have done or witnessed, and she concluded with only a few such as: did he get someone pregnant?

_No, no, that would be ridiculous because Laslow’s pretty faithful and would never do something like that until he’s married. Even if he’s a flirt, he still has standards and chivalry._

Perhaps he had completely, if not, outright embarrassed himself while in town or in the hot springs? _Well, he’s capable of doing idiotic things, but he’s pretty graceful and that seems a bit unlikely. He couldn’t have screwed himself over THAT bad. We’ve matured and out grown most of our useless habits…for the most part…_

 _Except that Odin has that weird naming complex thing and Laslow still a floozy._ She held back the urge to make a face. _Ugh._

Of course, the anticipation was beginning to gnaw at her. If he took this long to tell her, maybe it really _is_ something important. Something completely, iridescently  significant.

She glanced at her surroundings—the dusky glow of twilight had enveloped the astral plane already. It was getting a bit late and the chatter of the mess hall seem to lessen now.

Then, another thought hit her. It almost made HER stop in her own tracks, even though she was seated on the ground. What if…what if Laslow had been…thinking about killing himself?

…

_Hold on._

_…_

_What if…he actually_ did _?_

The thought of her good friend wanting to commit suicide was too great. _No, no_ , she tried to reason with herself, but she couldn’t persuade herself from the thought. _He can’t possibly…? Laslow…?_

She immediately sprung up from her spot on the ground and grabbed Laslow’s shoulders, startling him greatly. She narrowed her eyes at him and shook him harshly, telling him that “life is still worth it and that if you’re going to die, you should die being a heroic guy saving some silly girl that happened to be there and don’t kill yourself please because you’re worth it and killing yourself won’t help” and so forth.

Maybe that explained his odd behavior as of late. Avoiding food, coming back rather late from dance practices, appearing in weird, secluded places instead of just walking straight across the courtyard and whatnot…

“And don’t think that you should face this alone, because I know it’s difficult to move on. I know that feeling all too well!” Selena continued shaking his shoulders, trying to keep her voice low so no one else could hear them. “Please don’t skip anymore meals because we worry about you, you dolt. I notice that you infrequently get food—that does no good to your health!”

“Selena, I— it’s not what you—” Laslow furrowed his brow, trying to reason with her. But she wasn’t having it. Not until she got her point across.

“And confide into Odin and I more often if you’re still depressed! It does no good to hold it in by yourself. We’re your friends for a reason! So please—” Selena stopped shaking him, lessening her grip on his clothes. She averted her eyes and cast them downward, onto her boots. “Please trust us with secrets. You always carry that smile around trying to be brave, but I can see through it. It does hurt when we think about our past and parents and I don’t want to see you suffering because of that. The burden we share doesn’t have to be on your own shoulders. Lend some of that burden to us, so we can carry it together, not apart.” She hadn’t realized her voice had shook as she uttered the last part.

“Don’t you..don’t you trust us?”

Letting her hands drop to her sides, a silence passed through them and Selena didn’t dare look up. If she did, she would have started bawling. Of course she wanted her friends to share their burden, of course she wanted to show that she cared for her friends greatly. Especially Odin and Laslow. They had all came from the same timeline and they all had their parents taken away. Of course it would still hurt so much and of course they suffered with these feelings repeatedly. But they suffered together, and…they were all they had of each other.

She missed her parents greatly and they had impacted her life profoundly after they went off to war and never came back. Every day, Selena wished for a better future and a better outcome. But life wasn’t always fairytales and happy endings. Instead, she chose to carve her own ending. Even if it meant…coming to a different world to fix things.

…

“Sev…Selena, I…” Laslow tried to explain, but his voice began to shake too. “I…of course I trust you guys. You and Owain are my dearest comrade-in-arms _and_ friends. I would confide into you guys whenever I had trouble. There’s nothing in this world that can separate our ties of friendship, and even if there was…I would find a way to retie our red strands of fate back together again.”

Selena clamped her eyes shut.

  _I already lost mother and father. I can’t afford to lose anyone else._

_Even if…it’s just Laslow and his shallow words. He’s still…_

_My friend._

_I care about him too._

“Selena, please, look up at me,” Laslow’s words were soft and gentle. She couldn’t help but open her eyes, gazing into his. Her eyes were feeling a bit damp but Laslow’s eyes were kind, yet firm. He had a gaze that somehow rested her nerves and calmed her down, and perhaps…maybe Laslow had been the one that had grown up a bit more than her. Maybe by a tiny bit though.

“I trust you guys a whole deal and occasionally, yes, I do feel upset when reminiscing of the past. But, I know for certain that we still have a future that can be manipulated by us. Our present offers us a choice while our future gives us the outcome. Even if we are bound by our pasts, we can still change what is now. So please don’t assume I’m always smiling because I’m hiding my pain. I’m also smiling because I know I have friends that have stuck with me until the end of time—or a world,” Laslow offered her a smile before gently putting his hands on her shoulders. “Regardless, I smile because I am strong. I smile because there’s a way to fix things. And that’s all possible because with you and Owain by my side—I know we can make things right this time around.”

He let his arms drop to his side and ran a hand through his hair. “I have always been grateful for being blessed by Naga to have wonderful friends. And that…” he gave her wink, and this made Selena roll her eyes for good old sakes. “I’ve been blessed with a beautiful girl worrying about me.”

“You’re so stupid Laslow. Will you ever grow out of your childish ways?” Selena chuckled softly, lightly swatting his arm with her hand. “But in all seriousness, we’re all equal in sharing the burden. If you ever want to…talk about it, I’m happy to listen.”

“Hehe, you never cease to offer your support, do you Selena?” Laslow smiled and shook his head. “But…there’s something I do wish to tell you though. I wish you would have let me explained myself before going through all the sweet sentimental words.”

“What do you mean?” she inquired, confused. “I thought you were thinking about committing suicide? Your actions made me deem it as a probable conclusion…”

Laslow couldn’t help but let out a sigh. “You might get a little angry if I told you…that I wasn’t thinking about committing suicide. To be honest, that was far from my intent.”

Selena blanched a bit. “Oh…um. It seemed as if…you were implying…” her face began to flush a bright red. “I…it seemed…”

_Did I…_

_Did I just waste my time on this no good, lousy little piece of—_

“Selena, please don’t look at me like that,”

_ARGH! I JUST SHOWED HIM MY WEAK SIDE!_

_GODS THIS IS BEYOND EMBARASSING!_

“Selena, dear! Please put down that rock—eep!”

_How dare he let me prove my point! ARGH! He should have been more assertive and interrupt me before I jumped to any frivolous conclusions! GODS._

“AHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“Get back here you pansy! You were just playing on my sympathy! I hate you so much Laslow, get back here you coward! You should have told me then!”

“I DID! But it seemed rude of me to interrupt!”

“YOU CRAVEN!”

Selena began to chase Laslow around courtyard, resulting in an amusing scene.

* * *

From afar, Lord Leo exited the staff & stave shop, both sides flanked with his retainers. Niles had offered to help carry a few tomes but Leo could manage it. Odin Dark began to rattle on about how his “spell hand longed to learn mystifying sorcery” and Leo only smiled and shook his head. As the trio began to make their way toward their sleeping quarters (provided by the astral plane and Corrin), Niles thought he heard a faint scream in the distance. He glanced over at his friends and it looked like they didn’t hear it. Unsure whether or not it was from an invisible threat, Niles excused himself from milord and scouted on ahead, making sure it was safe to traverse through. He scanned the courtyard and saw no one in sight. The invisible enemies were tricky to find, even so, the invisibility wears off when they moved, causing a silhouette of themselves to show. Niles could have sworn he heard—

“COWARD!” it was a feminine voice. She was probably attacking an invisible soldier.

As Niles heard that, he hastily took cover behind a tree, almost tripping in the process with some…silverware at the base of this tree? Confused, Niles quirked an eyebrow but pushed the puzzling thought aside as he heard more screams. He could probably snipe at the enemy as his ally pushed the invisible solider somewhere in the open, then, he could—

“SELENA STOP! You are causing a scene!”

“Then STOP RUNNING and FACE ME!”

_…what...what the hell am I witnessing here._

 It was just Selena and Laslow running through the courtyard, screaming at the top of their lungs with idiotic stupidity. Irritated by their childish behavior, Niles hoisted himself into the tree and remembered he found some rubber arrows earlier while taking a morning patrol. It was unusual but every once in awhile, members of the army would find misplaced objects strewn across the ground. The weird part was, most of these items didn’t belong to anyone. It was probably the astral plane handing them useless and random objects. Having a little amusement for himself, Niles took aim and decided to eye Laslow’s feet. That petty dancer has quick feet—it would be a shame if he were to…fall.

Letting a flurry of arrows whoosh through the night, Niles watched with wicked intent as Laslow squeaked and avoided the arrows, gracefully sidestepping all of the arrows with careful precision. Niles was impressed, but annoyed that the mercenary didn’t trip. Oh well. It was probably better to go find Lord Leo and Odin. They were probably waiting for him by now.

Shooting one last arrow, Niles watched as he saw it land in front of Selena a few feet in front of her. The red head was too busy to realize that there was an object in front of her and strings on her boots got hooked, causing her to trip and fall down. Snickering, Niles shimmied down the tree and turned his back on the scene. It was fun to stir a little trouble every now in then.

That would keep some people in their place.

Even if that was considered a bit petty.

 


	4. Compromise

“I think it would be beneficial if I allow most of you to promote to different classes. After all—” Lord Corrin took a sweeping glance across the his troops, an amiable smile detailing his features.“We’ve garnered enough gold to distribute this many master  or heart seals for all!”

Many soldiers who stood in the courtyard seemed to beam at their leader’s words, and even a few cheered from the generosity Lord Corrin provided. Slowly, one by one, each member of the army were given a heavenly seal of their choosing. Lord Leo aided in the decision for some units who were unsure where their specialty could be employed in, so the blond prince gave out pros and cons for those who sought to fight at full potential. Others who wanted to reclass to gain useful skills were directed to using the heart seal, and soon enough—the soldiers went their separate ways to utilize the seals. Many comrades were excited to test their strength in the battlefield, so some began to head for the training ground after promoting themselves. A few others, who were still contemplating on the decision, went off to their tents or to the mess hall to discuss amongst themselves.

Even from afar, the most reserved members of the group, were smiling contently at their newfound power and abilities. But there were a few other soldiers who were complacent with their class, so there was no need for change. Azura hummed happily as she saw her fellow friends revel in animated conversations and the like. She was seated under a shady tree and her staff was strewn across her outstretched legs as she enjoyed the amicable atmosphere. It was a change in pace to see her comrades’ faces light up in childlike wonder and amazement. The monstrosity of war had dampened almost everyone’s spirits—perhaps this was a tactic to cheer everyone up again. And it had worked tremendously. Azura wondered if this was Corrin’s plan—if so, it was refreshing to see giddy features and smiles once again. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the tree trunk and wondered if her friend, Kaze, had decided to change his class. Or Niles. Maybe even Elise or Laslow. With a smile adorning her face, she seemed content enough with herself.

* * *

Two weeks after half of the army decided to change their class or promote themselves, it was now Laslow’s turn to decide. He had been wavering between learning new skills or to promote himself into a stronger class. Being a Hero would definitely earn some points in being stronger and skillful on the battlefield, so maybe that would be the most plausible route to follow. Plus, that would give him bonus points with the ladies, would it not? He surely would be ornamented with new armor and a newfound confidence. And ladies liked confidence—the subtle, quiet kind of confidence. Feeling assured, Laslow stood up and found the master seal he placed aside in his tent. The sleeping quarters he was provided with had been blessed to have a decent cot, a small shelf, a simple vanity mirror, a wooden desk and stool to match with.

He thumbed the master seal with anticipation, rubbing over the smooth grooves and intricate markings the seal had to offer. It was such a fetching item—reselling it would be a waste, but it would probably refund a decent amount of gold back. Closing his eyes and murmuring a grateful ‘thank you’ to Lord Corrin, Laslow breathed in and out before gently tossing the seal up into the air. In a matter of seconds, a blinding light engulfed his whole body. Laslow felt a warm, radiant glow gleam throughout his anatomy, and felt a surge of power running through his veins. The feeling was overwhelming and he felt  graced with profound abilities and potential. Soon enough, he opened his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief. His armor had changed into something sturdy yet lightweight, and he began to admire himself in the mirror. There was a mature look to this design, and he had taken a great liking to this promotion. With a satisfied smile, Laslow found himself itching to train with an axe. Perhaps he had acquired a taste of using axes in the battlefield now.

_This would be an excellent opportunity to expand my skill set now._

Continuing to admire his armor, Laslow wondered his friends would think. _They would probably congratulate me, and I guess Selena would be glad enough that she wouldn’t be the only Hero in the army. Odin would probably have a toast over dinner about this, and it would be utterly embarrassing if everyone stared…_

He couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. _But I’d be grateful nevertheless. And I wonder if…Mozu wanted to change. She did mention that she would like to become someone who could protect the people she cared for. Perhaps a fighter class of some sort?_ Laslow shrugged and thought about his other comrades who hadn’t changed yet. _Lady Azura would like to support us all with her lovely singing and dance. I think Lady Elise would like to help fight on the battlefield by changing into a stronger, magic orientated class._

He began to sit down on the stool in front of the vanity, adjusting the armor pauldron across his shoulders.

_…and I wonder if Niles changed too. I think he would be best suited with something of mobility. That would definitely prove useful because of his archery skills. And—_

He had almost stopped fiddling with his pauldron.

_WHAT AM I THINKING?!_

_Niles! Out of all the people I could have thought about, it_ had _to be_ him _—urrghh._ Laslow went back to fixing the pauldron but suddenly his smile dulled a bit.  

The thought of Niles had still made him pale a bit, and even after maintaining their distances between each other, Laslow couldn’t help but feel remotely guarded and anxious around the man. It had been exactly _two weeks_ since their encounter at the coffeehouse. And an uncomfortable feeling still lingered whenever he saw Niles within a ten feet radius. It was just that perplexing to be in the presence of the thief. Even so, when they maintained their space, Laslow couldn’t help but feel watched by Niles’ sharp eye. The thief had frightened him away every time they’ve crossed paths, but on some god-forsaken-odd-days, Niles would actually _smile_ at him.

Like a perfectly normal smile an ally would give to one another.

Oh, and maybe Niles through a wink or two at him.

That _completely threw_ Laslow off his metaphoric horse. It was utterly… _disarming_ to see Niles behave so…friendly? Inviting? What was the best word to describe Niles’ sudden change in attitude? _Flirty even_? Laslow almost shuddered at the thought of Niles trying to suddenly flirt with him. It wasn’t as if men turned Laslow off, it was just…why did it have to be _Niles_ in particular?

Anyone else could have been fine, but unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned...and there was something else that bothered him.

The strangest part? Even if Niles was friendly toward him on certain days, on others—the thief would menacingly scowl or  throw frowns at the dancer! It was baffling to see such a switch in personality. Laslow couldn’t help but shake his head. Niles was probably just playing a mind game with him, he probably was, right? Why else would somebody flip a 360 degrees circle and change?

It made absolutely no sense.

It actually…frustrated and confused Laslow to no end. Laslow had thought after that coffeehouse incident, their interactions would cease. But it certainly had not. The white haired man probably had more ways to torment him—to make Laslow even more uncomfortable, maybe even lose his wits.

_But WHY?_

Laslow furrowed his brow.

_Did Niles…want an apology?_

_…_

Come to think of it, Laslow began to wonder if he ever apologized to the latter.

…

He didn’t, did he?

 _So that may be the reason why he’s doing this to me...and I never did apologize for my inadvertent peeping._ The brunette couldn’t help but let out a sigh. _That’s probably the right thing to do then._

_I…I need to owe up to my actions._

_That would be the best course of action as of right now._

_…and maybe he’ll stop giving me that glare from across the mess hall. It’s rather intimidating, as much as I hate to admit it._

He stood up suddenly, feeling his lightweight armor clinking together. If he apologized now, it would be better in the long run. Laslow began to make his way out of his tent, pushing aside the door flap. He felt himself sigh again—he wondered if he’s been sighing more frequently after meeting Niles.

Without a second thought, he began to walk toward the mess hall. Breakfast would give him energy to follow out on his plan. Even so, it was better to do it now than to regret not ever apologizing.

 After socializing with his comrades and having some food, Laslow agreed it would put him in a better mood before approaching the brooding ally. That would be in the hero’s best interest as of now.

 Plus, it was better to get it over with.

* * *

_Okay, I was afraid to approach him given the first two opportunities, but I think I can do this._

_Breath in…breath out…in…out…_

_There’s barely anyone around so it should be fine…so privacy is good…_

_Okay—here goes…!_

Laslow took one final deep breath before walking into the courtyard. Niles was leaning under the tree house that belonged to Lord Corrin and the thief seemed to be gazing at something in the distance. Lord Leo and Odin were most likely tending to other chores or matters, so this was the perfect moment to discuss a particular topic to Niles. Albeit, Laslow felt himself pale again. It was unnerving to approach the man, but he had to. It was for the sake of repairing relations. Building bridges between allies was good, walls were not. Lord Xander had taught him otherwise. It was time to put Lord Xander’s philosophy into use.

“Niles,” Laslow called out, his voice wavering a bit, but he managed to keep it even. “May I have a word with you?”

The brunette paused four feet away from the thief—or should Laslow muse, a Bow Knight? Apparently, Niles’ had changed his class too. Laslow wasn’t certain when he did, but that didn’t matter right now. pushing aside the thoughts, Laslow focused on the mission at hand. To repair the damage that had been done. He watched Niles as the latter slowly moved his gaze onto his, and his blue eye had reflected an unreadable gleam. Laslow inaudibly swallowed, steeling himself for whatever Niles may do to him.

But his eye…it was actually, a very beautiful color up close.

After a tense silence, Niles pushed himself off the tree and stretched a bit, and Laslow took a step back, a little alarmed by the sudden movement.

“No need to act so scared—we’re allies here, _aren’t_ we?” there was almost a trace of mockery in Niles’ tone, but Laslow wasn’t sure. The latter always seemed to have a jabbing or uninterested quality when he spoke with him. It was a little rude, if Laslow was honest. And extremely discouraging.

But Laslow managed to plow through. “Yes, I’m aware. My nerves got the best of me, I’m afraid. But,” Laslow took one step closer, trying to establish that they were equals when talking. “There’s something important I would like to discuss with you, Niles.”

Niles quirked an amused eyebrow and offered a smirk. He then crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned a bit closer toward Laslow. “Out with it then, you have my full and undivided attention.”

Laslow couldn’t help but feel a certain degree of uncertainty. Niles was being so carefree while Laslow himself was prepped and solemn. It seemed as if the bow knight had not taken him seriously enough.

(In hindsight, that probably proved where their relationship stood. The respect was there, but just teetering…)

The dancer tried again. “Niles, I’m not joking. I want to apologize to you about…” Laslow sucked in a breath, “The incident that happened between us.”

Silence.

_I hope you can forgive me._

The silence continued  and Laslow dearly wanted to utter those words, but something stopped him.

…

Almost instantaneously, the casual expression on Niles’ face darkened. The blueness in his eye had steeled into an icy stare

The tension between them grew so thick in a matter of seconds that it was almost ridiculous. Laslow felt the apprehension gnawing in chest grow, and he bit his lip, wondering if he had yet again, made another mistake. He felt warmness crawling onto his face and skin as he took a step back, maybe Laslow would need the space between them, just in case for a head start in running.

A minute, soon two, passed as Niles gave Laslow a wickedly venomous glare, almost in a scathing and loathsome way that could have made Laslow combust into flames if he weren’t…well, human.

And judging from Niles’ fierce look, all hopes of repairing their friendship had drained from his thoughts. Laslow attempted to say something, but he felt his jaw go slack from the lack of words he had to offer. It seemed like a futile attempt, a fruitless endeavor now.

Had Laslow wronged him that much for the hatred burning in his eyes?

If so, the guilt was becoming unbearably horrendous since it made Laslow feel extraordinarily awful about ever approaching Niles about this topic. Laslow then prayed to Naga that he was honestly trying his best to right his wrongs, and swear he didn’t mean to pry on anyone’s secrets or vulnerabilities.

Before Laslow knew it, Niles had glanced around them before making a swift movement forward to grab a handful of Laslow’s shirt that was under his armor, and pulling him close to his face. Laslow let out a startled yelp and instinctively grabbed onto Niles’ wrist, which was holding onto his shirt. Laslow wanted to pry off his hand, but he couldn’t, he was just too frightened to do so.

Looking at Niles, he noticed that the latter had donned an expressionless look. Under that vacant mask, Laslow wondered if…Niles was trying to figure out ways to murder him. Assassinate him. It was probably doable, due to his underground ties. But there was no way an ally would turn on each other...unless given a strong reason too.

…

Laslow deemed that maybe Niles’ extreme disgust of him had fueled enough desire to make him actually hurt the latter.

So Laslow tried again, his words sincere and  heartfelt.“I’m s-sorry, I didn’t mean to witness that…”

Niles had only continued to grip his shirt. It was amazing that there was barely anyone out here.

“I genuinely apologize, and I didn’t mean to witness anything. I had hoped that,” Laslow swallowed as he continued, “That we could have met on better terms. I didn’t wish to intrude on such a personal moment, please understand that, Niles.”

Laslow suddenly felt the grip on his shirt slacken a bit. Although, just a bit. Laslow continued, seeing it as an invitation to follow up.

“A-And, I hope we can start on better terms after I apologize to you. I don’t want things to remain strange between us, and I’m saying that as an ally. I had hoped that we could at least become friends, if not, acquaintances can suffice too.”

 The brunette managed to gaze into Niles’ eye—he hadn’t realized that he had averted them in the first place. The blueness in Niles’ eyes had been gleaming with something unreadable—and it no longer held a fierce look. Instead…it was replaced by another feeling Laslow couldn’t quite comprehend. Before Laslow had a chance to carry on, Niles had loosened his grip considerably and suddenly – he pushed Laslow away.

Niles had _pushed_ him away.

Laslow stumbled back, confused and a little hurt by the gesture. The dancer had opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it after seeing Niles tremble with—rage? Fury? Vehemence? It appeared as if complete outrage and intensity seem to envelop Niles’ body as he shook with such anger that as he looked up—

Niles. . . _laughed_.

…

He **laughed**.

“Wh-What?” Laslow could only splutter that out, dumbfounded as he watched.

As Niles continued to laugh, and it was almost so carefree and casual as his tone was before. The archer clutched his side a bit as he continued to laugh before it subsided into a chuckle as it ended.

Laslow had stood there entirely speechless, and profoundly stunned as to what just happened. Niles was a complete and utter enigma in his personality—and his change had made _no sense_ to Laslow whatsoever. It was highly unusual—and honestly, it made Laslow’s head hurt. The white haired man was too complicated to understand, much less, try to befriend in the first place. It was so strange that Laslow couldn’t help but feel like a slack jawed village idiot. If this was the effect Niles had on people—it was simply too much. It was amazing how Lord Leo and Odin could deal with him.

(…or maybe it was just still _him_ that Niles hated.)

Even so, Laslow had just tried to apologize. Surely that had to count for something now.

“N-Niles?” Laslow was still flabbergasted. As the archer was done with his laugh, Niles pretended to wipe a tear form his eye. “I fail…to understand…what’s so funny…?”

Niles had glanced once more around them and finally strode over to Laslow, his face up close and person with the brown haired lad. There was a smirk playing on Niles’ lips and Laslow didn’t have the heart to smile back. He was still astonished.

“I accept your apology,” Niles replied smoothly, as if he wasn’t laughing earlier. “But don’t get me wrong—I still don’t trust you enough. I know you don’t harbor any ulterior motives since you seem to have a good heart. So rest assured, I’m not entirely fuming at you anymore, _yet_ —” Niles moved away from Laslow’s face, putting the distance between them and the same smirk still stayed on his face. “We can choose to start over anew, if you would like. Although, I highly doubt we would gain much from this interaction.”

Laslow could only feel immense relief that Niles hadn’t hated them THAT much. And that it was merely just a joke on him. Even so, Laslow let out a huge sigh, relieved that the situation was finally addressed, even if it was horribly daunting. The only thing Laslow still felt iffy about was that Niles didn’t trust him enough—yet that was better than no trust at all. That was probably okay. Laslow didn’t think he would make a lot of progress, but Niles seemed to accept his apology, so that was good at least.

They could try to start anew, but would it really make a huge difference? Would it really be worth the effort in trying to salvage what’s left of their acquaintanceship?

Or could they…just leave everything how it is now?

Pretend that…nothing had changed or happened.

…

Laslow looked at Niles, his hands clammy despite the cool air outside in the courtyard.

His objective had been completed—the apology was accepted.

…however, there was a small chance that they could actually _become_ friends. The odds of that were so slim, so microscopic to begin with. The opportunity could slip by if Laslow didn’t say anything soon. Plus, Niles looked bored and wanted to leave now.

It was now or never.

And honestly, Laslow would have been just fine if they ceased their interactions, but no. _No_. Deep inside his heart, he knew this was the perfect moment just to leave things as they are, but humorously enough, things don’t always go as planned.

Laslow could have stepped out of Niles life then and there. He could have halted everything, but he knew, that deep, deep, down inside—he felt something for Niles. It didn’t resemble anything romantic, rather—it was concern. It was…how should he put this…curiosity. Morbid curiosity? No, no—akin to fascination for the snowy haired ally.

Well, that’s what Laslow tried to persuade himself with anyway.

…

Truly, the dancer was concerned, and curious, and fascinated by the latter. Yet he felt uncertainty, hostility, and a mysterious air following Niles. Of course Laslow didn’t want to be a target for innuendos or hurtful jabs, but there was just _something_ about Niles that he wanted to…understand.

He wanted to get to know the man better.

Laslow wanted to…

Laslow wanted to _know_ …what caused Niles the suffering he had—on that fateful night he found the man, weak and vulnerable.

Laslow wanted to know what kind of life Niles had lead before he had joined the army, and the horrors and experience he had faced.

…

Everything about the bow knight had been nothing but rumors and tales shrouded in mystery. Barely anyone knew what Niles had suffered through or seen—if those were even the right words. Scarcely did the former criminal had friends in the army, and when he did—it was remarkable to see Niles joke around and have a pleasant conversation with them.

And maybe…just maybe…Laslow found himself wanting to appear something in Niles’ eye. Maybe Laslow found himself wanting to be someone…Niles could confide into.

Someone important at least.

…and that—

THAT was an alarming fact that Laslow had just realized.

_I…what…no…!_

_I just want…him to realize that I CAN be trusted, and that I CAN be some you can rely._

_And that I DO CARE about others and that it’s GENUINE and REAL._

“That I cared enough…to worry about him…” Laslow mumbled. He felt his legs go weak as he sunk to the ground, strength draining from them completely. “that I care…about others and how I don’t want…to see them hurt…”

Niles quirked an eyebrow. “Pardon?” he didn’t catch what the latter had mumbled about.

Laslow glanced up, feeling a bit more confident now. “I…my actions weren’t out of pity, Niles. They were out of my own concern, and that—I would prefer that we start all over again, on a better footing, perhaps. Put this all aside.”

There was  a pause, and Laslow was for sure that Niles might take back what he said, but the next few things really, honestly, surprised him.

 

“Heh, that’s something you don’t hear every day,” the archer began, a tone of amusement escaped his lips, “Yet you’re willing to go through all of this harassment just to try and apologize to me. That takes a lot of guts, so my meager opinion of you has…changed. Albeit a smidgen.”

Niles soon walked in front of Laslow again, almost in a triumphed matter while looking down at Laslow. A shadow soon fell across Laslow’s figure as he stared up at his ally—his comrade.

“Even if we become at least ‘friends’, I’m only doing this for Lord Corrin’s sake. He’d rather much see all of us get along and help each other in the heat of  battle. So getting to know each other would be a huge asset on the field, and when the time comes, we can learn to cover each other’s weaknesses too. We would also be able to utilize each other’s strength to take down our foes easier, so that’s another pro. Even so, I just want you to realize that this is just for the army’s benefit and nothing else…” Niles paused, almost considering something before finally testing out the latter’s name on his tongue, “...Laslow, huh. There’s a ring to it that I’ve never noticed. _Las_ low.”

In that moment—Laslow felt immense complacency.

…

Niles had accepted him.

Niles had accepted his apology.

Even better, Niles had accepted a term to their…acquaintanceship.

…

Perhaps that was good enough.

…

“Thank you…Niles. That’s all, I would ever ask from you.”

 Niles could only let out a chuckle, and it sounded low and husky almost. “I hope this is a choice you won’t regret, because as _friends…_ we’re going to spend a lot of quality time… _together.”_

Niles steeled himself away from Laslow’s form and winked.

 _“_ See ya, in the training grounds, flower boy. _”_

* * *

Laslow was too exhausted to deal with the suggestive note in Niles’ voice, and instead—Laslow found himself laying down in the courtyard, back pressed against the stone floor and limbs all sprayed out. He closed his eyes and decided—he has had enough provocations for today. And for now, maybe a healer would be good too. They could check his temperature and pulse. Possibly even check his sanity for good measure.

But rest assured, at least he was on okay terms with Niles now.

There was a chance that a friendship could sprout between them, so planting a seed of trust was the first part. Maybe after some time, the petals of companionship would blossom until they could see eye to eye again.

So Laslow let out a long, drawn out sigh and tried to think about something else.

The air outside was indeed cool, ruffling a bit of his locks. He opened his eyes again, seeing the tree house carefully perched on top of a large tree. From beyond the branches and jade leaves, Laslow could make out the cerulean sky. A few clouds were lethargically strolling across the blueness, and it reminded him of the outlaw’s lone eye.  

…

_Blue, huh? It is quite a pretty…_

Laslow couldn’t help but let out a weak laugh. Of course—Niles was going to be a presence that was difficult to forget. And Laslow had to admit, when he stared into Niles’ eye – they were oh-so-breath taking-ly blue. It was like the color of a tropical ocean when his features were amused and pleased, but other times, his eyes were as cold as the arctic frost.

But the color was quite lovely, he had to confess.

And it somehow made sense. Since his real name, Inigo, was similar to indigo, he always had a fondness for the color. His alias was also Laslow and it was similar to lapis-lazuli. So yes, he did always have a penchant for the hue.

It had made sense that he liked Niles’ eye.

Not Niles himself, but just his eye color.

At least…that’s what he tried to persuade himself with anyway.

_...oh Olivia, please say you're proud of me right now. I hope...I did the right thing._


	5. Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting this earlier. School is unfortunately here but hey, it's my senior year of high school! So here's a chapter to celebrate, enjoy! :D

After Lord Corrin announced that seals would be distributed, Niles was one of the first few who had changed their class. Right from the start, Niles had wanted to sharpen his skills and sniping precision. So he was presented with two choices: an Adventurer or a Bow Knight. Weighing both pros and cons, Niles thought there were enough healers in the army, so there wasn’t probably a need to be an Adventurer. Plus, magic wasn’t necessarily his strong suit. If he were to choose the Adventurer route, he would have to learn the medicinal basics before effectively healing others. Lady Elise, Jakob, or Felicia were competent healers, so there was that. But even if Niles were to choose that path, he would probably choose the highroad to battle rather than  to mend.

Subsequently, his calloused hands were suited to the rougher edges of war—artillery in his hands were meant to kill, not to save. There was no way he could have picked up a healing stave without feeling disgust and abhorrence with himself. If he couldn’t save himself—how could he manage to save others? Losing an eye was bad enough—so what if he fucked up and couldn’t save someone else’s eye? Having a staff meant wielding a life—a choice whether someone lived or died. It was truly a profound amount of power one had over another. And honestly, Niles shirked away from that. He might have let people die out of malice—or maybe fail at his job. Either way, the idea of playing as god had turned him off. A divine being would be forced to witness many deaths, and Niles didn’t want to see any more deaths than he needed to.

Besides, fighting had become second-nature to him. Fighting had given him satisfaction for another day. It gave him a blaze of purpose.

A flame of existence.

So without a goal, fighting a war would have been futile. Nevertheless, Niles had found a purpose—after becoming Lord Leo’s retainer.  

* * *

Now, Niles had a sword in his hands. A bronze sword to be exact. Yet, he had to admit—his bow had been a bit lighter than the sword he held in his hands. Getting used to the swinging momentum was a bit of a new feeling, since he was used to grappling onto a bow and arrow. The bow knight had been practicing little over two weeks until Laslow decided to grace his presence one day in the open court yard. Niles had to admit, he was staring off into the distance that day trying to distract a mild headache. Of course, he was able to push the pain away—but only due to Laslow’s amusing attempt to “repair their relationship”. The bow knight had derived pleasure from screwing around with the hero two weeks prior by throwing winks and scowls here and there.

The flustered expressions on the brunette’s face was absolutely priceless. Niles had a hell of a time doing that, even though Lord Leo had only sighed and mentioned that provoking other people was an senseless way to past time. Odin had mentioned some disapproval since Niles had forgotten that Odin and Laslow were friends. It was kind of ironic actually—both of them scarcely had a foothold in this world. Perhaps it made sense they became friends—they both shared an unusual past…and it was a strange coincidence…

But Niles stowed away that tidbit of information for another day. Odin was someone he could trust at least—but the latter?

Laslow still had _much_ to prove though.

Giving a pause to his thoughts, Niles twirled the bronze sword in his hands. The morning air had chilled his bones as he spun the hilt of his sword through his fingers. His fingers were elongated and slender—perfect for stringing arrows and pick locking. But a sword was a different matter—the amount of force behind each swing had to be calculated and careful. If not, it could throw him off balance, and Niles had learnt that quickly.

Finally gripping his sword upright, he stopped twirling the blade. He began to practice swinging the sword around, doing basic maneuvers and pretending to parry and attack an invisible soldier. Muscle memory had proven to be useful, so it was best to hone these defensive stances. As he slashed the air and jumped back to defend—he proceeded to imaginarily fend off intruders from his left and right side, and spun around—deflecting another invisible figure.

Soon, several minutes had passed and he began to work up a sweat. Panting a bit, Niles had lowered his blade to the ground, feeling his arms ache from each swing. The sword in his hands had grown exuberantly heavily (had it always been _this_ heavy?), and his vision seemed to swim a bit…

It was probably sweat getting into his eye—yeah, that was probably the main cause.

Brushing aside some hair dangling in his face, Niles forced himself to hold the sword upright. It was a bit of a struggle, but he didn’t want to give in now. After all, he had invited the brunette to the training grounds. Laslow could easily one up him in swordplay any day—so Niles continued to practice in the break of dawn, only ceasing when he needed too.

_Swoosh._

It had only been two weeks since he had begun to grasp the basics of swordplay.

_Whoosh._ He sliced through the air again with a grunt.

But Niles was no amateur—he was quick and bound to be adept at swordsmanship in the months to come.

_Swoosh._

He could rest when he was dead, or—

_Clang._

The sword abruptly fell from his hand in exhaustion as he felt a wave of pain pulsing through his eye. _Fucking migraine…had to show up now, huh..._ Niles grit his teeth and his breathing still heavy from physical exertion. He managed to ignore the aching in his temple for now since it was fine—as long as the ache didn’t continue to exude extreme pain, he could tolerate it for a bit longer until he felt his body ready to give out from pain or fatigue.  

Niles would find out soon enough.

* * *

Laslow could almost remember the day he appeared in court, brandishing his skills before the Crown Prince and King Garon himself. He had skill that equally matched Prince Xander’s but he toned it down, in fear of news spreading around about a mysterious swordsman who could best the prince. Besides, Laslow didn’t travel here to make a scene—he had a purpose to fulfill since he arrived in the dark kingdom.

From there, Laslow and his two friends had carried the weight of the burden placed upon their shoulders. Yet they were still anchored by their past and groped blindly into the future to secure it. There wasn’t a lot of stability in their life—just constant change and fear dictating their next course of action. Being thrust into an unknown world and culture rattled the trio, but they managed to cope and adapt to this new world through time enough. Although, there would be moments of vulnerability and morose nostalgia for their home country and friends left behind. In truth—the trio had often wondered about their old (or former?) allies. Whatever they left behind—there was still traces of memories that haunted Selena, Odin, and Laslow themselves.

No matter how inconspicuous they tried to be, there would be a few perceptive souls that would probe into their past and try to flush out details regarding their backgrounds. Everyone who did usually found close to nothing—and it was awfully alarming to those who tried to find something.

And now that lead to _Niles._

Niles had tried to uncover the foot holes of where Laslow came from. It unnerved Laslow that the outlaw was persistent and had determination to dig up dirt upon the latter and his friends. Although, even though Niles had barely garnered enough information, Laslow was confident enough that Niles would eventually find _something_ that would pertain to the trio. Luckily enough, Laslow thought it had been useful making acquaintances with the rogue ever since _that_ incident. Of course, he was genuinely concerned about Niles. Intrigued too. But maybe Laslow reasoned himself that he needed another alibi to convince himself that it  was the right choice to be on good terms with the thief—and not just because it was out of fear or obligation.

So like it or not—Laslow was carefully rationalizing the events that just played the day before. He didn’t like to earn people’s trust with ulterior motives, but in this world, betrayal and violence were the only languages for these warring countries.

If Laslow could try to win Niles’ trust, perhaps there wouldn’t be a need to be continuously cautious about leaving trails and footprints behind in this world. Maybe they could start leaving changes in history—a better outcome for their world and this one.

Yes, that would be another good start. Being friends with Niles’ would prove to be difficult—maybe it would be a rewarding effort in the end. Plus, Laslow would gain a valuable insight and a powerful ally alongside him. Niles _did_ have connections to the underworld and black market, so of course there would be benefits in becoming friendly with the snowy haired man. But…maybe not to friendly-friendly.

Distance was good to acquire—and sometimes, the ones you trust the most could be the ones that turncoat in the end. Laslow had been hurt and betrayed before—he didn’t want to magnitude the pain. His friends had enough responsibilities to deal with so another heartache would cause grief and unneeded destitution. There was enough of that in this campaign of war. There was too much at risk.

Laslow let out a long, resigned sigh as he continued the morning patrol around the outskirt of their castle. (The castle grounds would occasionally be frequented by stray, invisible soldiers, so daily patrols helped keep the enemies at bay, luckily there were none today.) Running a hand through his brown locks, he tried to push his heavy thoughts away. But these thoughts would always resurface and pester him until he rationalized and concluded them.

Ironically enough, despite not wanting to think about Niles first thing in the morning—the bow knight somehow slipped inside his thoughts. The day before, Laslow had been relived that Niles was fine about starting again. But as dawn of the next day approached, Laslow woke up and the realization finally hit  him.

Well, more like walloped him in the face.

_Oh gods oh gods oh gods OH GODS._

_Was I really in the right sense of mind to ask him that?!_

_That means…Niles would get to know me better and he would try to look into my past…!_

_OR—maybe the reason why Niles accepted my proposal was to get closer to me so he could try and exploit me! Have I truly made the biggest blunder ever?! What if this is just an awful ploy so he could get back at me?_

_I swear my intentions were pure!!_

_So does this mean I’m truly an incapable retainer as he referred to me as?! No, no, I AM capable!_

_GAH—maybe I’m not after all…I apologize, Lord Xander. I have failed my duty to be on the lookout…and after all these years, I thought I had sharpen my senses on people…some things never change, do they…_

Now, back in present time, Laslow had spent the last thirty minutes trying to convince himself that he was making a good choice in befriending the thief. But in all seriousness—maybe this was actually a _bad_ idea. The opportunity to let their interactions fade would have been the smart choice—but _no_. Laslow just had to go out of his way to befriend the difficult man…

Maybe this was all a _big_ mistake now.

 

A major error.

A damnable choice.

Something that could have been prevented.

But no. Just no.

Laslow just had to be on good terms with almost everyone. He just had to ignore the voices in his head and opted to do something others would have gladly stopped at when given the chance.

_Niles_.

The white haired man could be so infuriating at times.

Yet Laslow was intrigued—damn his curiosity at times. Kicking away the covers, Laslow sat up and ran his hand through his hair several times. It was better to get some breakfast instead of mulling over past events, even if they occurred yesterday. As Laslow stood up and walked  over to find his Hero garb, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His eyes had some bags under them, but they weren’t that noticeable. After fixing a bit of his hair, Laslow decided to change. A light snack would do and then a trip to the hot springs would calm his nerves and sore muscles.

When all of those things were completed, the brown haired man would then visit the training grounds, ready to spar with the bow knight. Laslow wondered if that would be a good opportunity to get the know the latter more.

**** _It probably might, here’s to hoping then…_

* * *

It was still morning as the light rays of sun the bathed the inhabitants of the astral plane.

The dancer had spoken to Selena and Odin during the morning meal and parted to go to the training grounds. Laslow picked up a sword from the training rack and examined it. The steel sword was more or less in good condition, but it could be sharpened or refurbished at the blacksmith later. Twirling the sword in his hands, Laslow noted that there were only a few soldiers out and about. He had seen Lady Azura picking some ripe berries and a flustered Felicia as she dropped a few plates earlier in the dining hall. Jakob had scolded the maid and Laslow couldn’t help but feel a little pity for the pink haired girl, after all, Felicia was trying her best.

Shaking his head a bit, Laslow pulled himself away from his thoughts. A bit of practice would be an excellent warm up before Niles got here, so he took a defensive stance and began to strike at imaginary enemies. He parried, ducked, dodged, and slashed the air with liquid moments before almost falling into his dancer routine: _and a one and a two—_

Laslow was absorbed into his training that by the time he spun around to fend off an imaginary figure—he whirled around to see Niles standing right in front of him.

“AH!” Laslow involuntarily slashed at the man and luckily, Niles had parried the blow with ease. The clashing of swords reverberated throughout the empty training grounds and Laslow felt his heart quickened. Niles had made an untimely appearance, and could have been decapitated if it weren’t for his swift reflexes.

“Ah, trying to hit on me, aren’t you,” Niles teased, a smirk playing on his lips. He lowered his sword, and so did Laslow. “A bit too early, don’t you think?”

Laslow averted his eyes, feeling flustered as he responded, “Wh-What? Don’t be ridiculous! That wasn’t on purpose…” glancing back up, a realization just hit him.

Niles had parried the blow—did that mean…the bow knight picked up a new skill?

“...when did you learn to wield a sword?” Laslow questioned.

The latter only continued to smirk and went into a fighting stance, making Laslow do the same. Laslow felt like he wasn’t going to get an answer, so he steeled himself for practice.

And so, it began.

The bow knight made the first move and slashed Laslow head on. Laslow easily dodged and deflected the attack, maneuvering through the training ground with graceful ease. The white haired man was swift and agile, but his attacks were light but were in multitudes of slashes. Laslow took note of that since Niles was just starting out with the sword, it was still a bit awkward for the archer to properly wield the sword naturally. The brunette went easy on him and continued to dodge the attacks and threw in a few of his own slashes at Niles.

Soon, their swords collided into each other again and they both jumped back, panting and with some sweat rolling down their temples. It had been about ten minutes with some light attacks and dodges—and it made Laslow wonder if Niles was just testing him, gouging out how Laslow attacked and defended. If so, that was a smart motive, determining how the enemy fought and such. But the dancer had the upper advantage in swordplay, so Laslow could easily over empower the latter. Yet that wouldn’t be entirely fair, since Niles started out with the sword. Drawing out the fight would just keep both of them exhausted, but since this was just training, it should be okay.

This time, the Hero sprinted forward and swung at the bow knight, and Niles blocked the attack, their swords reverberating another clang throughout the grounds. Laslow held tightly onto his sword and pressed his steel sword against Niles’ bronze one, but Niles only grit his teeth and shoved Laslow away with his sword. A bit impressed, Laslow jumped back and wiped the sweat away with his free hand.

“You are more skilled than I thought,” Niles spoke, “but please don’t mock me by going easy. Fight like you want to kill me.”

Laslow felt a bit uneasy by Niles’ command. “I understand, but I don’t think it’s fair because of our skill gap.”

“Oooh,” there was a hint of amusement in the snowy haired man’s voice, his eyebrow quirking a bit. “So if I genuinely try to kill you, would you go harder on me? I like this kind of challenge—so please, be rough with me, I don’t mind.”

“W-Wait—”

Niles bolted from his spot and with alarming dexterity, he managed to knick a few hair strands from Laslow, making the Hero dodge just in time. Laslow tried to say something but Niles didn’t seem to be in the mood to talk anymore. The blueness in Niles’ eyes were dark and full of something brooding that Laslow couldn’t figure out. With another sidestep dodge, Laslow managed to avoid getting stabbed in the leg.

_My gods, he’s trying to kill me! W-Whoa!_

Laslow continued to dance around the training ground and began to fight with more resolve. If Niles wanted to fight like this, than Laslow should too. Giving into the latter’s request, Laslow began to fight as if he wanted to _kill_ the bow knight. When the dancer began to get more attacks in, he noticed that Niles’ seemed a bit pleased with the outcome. They both fought for several minutes, Laslow was able to figure out Niles’ fighting pattern. The white haired man would throw in many jabs before ducking a few times, then go back to more jabs before blocking attacks. This pattern repeated and Laslow began to make calculated attacks, such as deflecting a few jabs and trying to throw the latter off balance. Laslow noticed that Niles’ attacks got weaker and weaker as the fight was dragged on, and they both felt their stamina beginning to drain, but Laslow still had more fight in him since he was an experienced wielder.

On the other hand, Niles appeared to have difficulty in holding his sword a bit. Their swords continued to clash again and again and this time, as their swords came together, their faces, several inches away from each other. Sweat was dotted along both of their brows and they both panted. Niles couldn’t help but tremble as he held his weapon against Laslow and Laslow glanced at the latter. The dancer noticed Niles’ hair was plastered against his forehead and the latter winced and suddenly, his expression became a grimace of pain.

A bit concerned, Laslow wondered if he should back off and call it quits for the morning. They had been training for about an hour, at best. Over exertion would be bad, especially if one was new to doing something.

Laslow then felt Niles’ grip on his sword slackened and Laslow began to slacken his grip too.

“We can stop if needed. You don’t look very well.” the Hero said, his voice laced with genuine concern. Now seemed to be a good chance to cease their training.

“…very well,” Niles spat out, lowering his sword to the ground, and Laslow did the same.

Before Laslow could say anything else, Niles suddenly moved forward.

Letting out a yelp of surprise and no time to swing his sword, Laslow felt his legs get kicked from underneath him and Laslow fell down, landing on his bum while Niles flashed the tip of his sword in front of Laslow’s neck. Laslow only swallowed and tried to comprehend what just happened. Under a few seconds, Niles easily beat him. Niles had kicked his legs from underneath and held him a sword point. As Laslow nervously swallowed, he felt the tip of the sword poke at his Adam’s apple. It all occurred so hastily that it made the dancer wonder if Niles just faked being in pain just to get an upper hand. If so, it was sly and deceitful.

It was actually a good deception then.

“I win.” Niles spoke out, victoriously smirking and moving the sword away after a few seconds. Niles only looked down upon Laslow and Laslow could only gaze up at the latter. They both were trying to gasp for air and sweat trickled down their physique. No doubt, Niles had outsmarted Laslow by the cunning ploy. But it looked as if Niles was in genuine pain from Laslow’s perspective.

Laslow could only shake his head and sigh, wondering out loud: “Did you…really fake it?”

Niles could only smirk and he began to place his training sword back on the rack. “Pretty good, huh?”

“That wasn’t fair though,” Laslow pointed out, exhaustion causing him to ramble his initial thoughts out.

“There’s no such thing as a fair fight, you either outwit your opponent or die.”

The bow knight did have an excellent point.

“Well played then, albeit, deceiving...and low.”

“Let this be a valuable lesson then,” and Niles began to walk off.

Laslow could only sit there for a few more minutes until he found the strength to stand up again. It was true that anything could go during a battle, and perhaps this was a good lesson for Laslow. Anyone could bluff and garner pity, but pity could be used against others. The Hero finally stood up, still feeling exhausted but a bit better to put his sword up and leave the training grounds. As Laslow began to walk back to his tent—he thought about changing his shirt and possibly shower again – he noticed that Lady Azura walking by with something in her hands. With a head nod, they both acknowledged each other and continued their ways separate ways.

Laslow pushed aside the tent flap and entered. As he peeled off the shirt and wore on a new one, he began to reflect a bit. Training had been good, a bit better than he imagined. He thought the bow knight would have been callous or distant, but they carried on a decent conversation, despite it being short. Sitting down on his cot, he looked down at his hands and blinked. His hands were calloused from sword use and there were some deep lines crisscrossing his palms.

He wondered if Niles’ hands were like his own—with scars and roughness.

Sighing, Laslow laid back on his bed for a moment. In a few more minutes, he would get up to shower and then visit the kitchen for another snack until lunch. Maybe even carry out some duties for Prince Xander.

Soon, Laslow got up and left his tent. Showering would be nice now.

* * *

Niles slid down against the castle walls, somewhere secluded and far from the gaze of others. His head was throbbing from  pain and he clutched his hair, his eye closed shut, trying to ignore the painful stab behind his eye. He tried to think of anything just to get the pain to stop but he couldn’t. Migraines were fucking awful, and he wondered why he had to have one today. Even if he lied to Laslow just to get the upper hand, the upcoming migraine was surely real.

For several long minutes, Niles stayed in the same position and grimaced. Opening his eye, he debated whether to get up and go back to his tent just in case somebody wandered by. But his vision was hazy and he couldn’t help but feel momentarily blind and off balance as he tried to stand up. Leaning against the walls for support, he gritted his teeth and tried to began to slide one hand along the wall, trying to walk. But before he knew it, somebody stood in front of him and he blinked several times, trying to see the person more clearly.

It was Lady Azura. And she had a concoction in her hand.

“Niles,” she whispered, “Let me help you…”

 


	6. Intermission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile since I've last written, sorry if details are off or the transition to this chapter might be awkward. There's a chance I'll try to finish this story, since I have all the chapters planned out already! :D

Niles felt his vision swim—he felt dreadfully close to blacking out. Azura popped off the lid of the concoction, beckoning Niles to sip the liquid. With a forced smile, he uttered quietly, “Lady Azura…you are too kind.”

“Don’t be foolish, Niles. You are my friend and my ally. _Here_ —” she held it close to his lips and murmured for him to drink. “take a sip. Rest afterwards, no more fighting.”

After taking a ginger sip, he almost recoiled by how bitter the concoction was. Strong, restorative brew tended to offend the taste buds, but the bitter the better. The better it would to help soothe his migraine. Instantaneously, relief began to flood his system—it began to clear his mind. He thanked Lady Azura before feeling his eyelids flutter and felt himself to slide down the wall.

“Niles?” Lady Azura called out, her voice sounding distant as Niles tried to focus on her words. The world seemed a bit fuzzy around the edges of his vision, the sounds around him somewhat muted and muffled.

“Sorry, I just need…to sit down for a bit.”

Before Niles could comprehend what was happening,  all he could think of was: _the pain stopped. At least the migraine subsided. What a fucking day…_

And Lady Azura had to see him in such a state. It was embarrassing enough that Laslow saw him at a vulnerable state—but now Lady Azura had seen him croak too. _Am I neglecting my training this badly?_ He thought wearily, closing his eyes and almost forgetting the royal’s presence.

“Niles,” her voice was soft as a lullaby, almost lulling him to sleep as he sat there. The concoction did have strong abilities—it doubled as a sleeping solution. “Do you want me to get Elise? You look pale—and I know it’s not from your duel with Laslow from earlier. It looks like something else is ailing you.”

His eye snapped open, and he seemed suddenly aware of his surroundings once more. _Damn drink—I can’t think straight…_

“N-No, it’s fine. In fact, please don’t get anyone. I will be fine in a matter of moments, do not worry about me, milady,” he began to get up so abruptly that he almost fell back down if it weren’t for the wall and Lady Azura reaching out to steady him. He almost flinched from the gentleness of her touch, and he had to remind himself— _this is Lady Azura. We both share similarities. I trust her…_

_I trust her._

* * *

A minute soon eclipsed between them as they stood there. Niles was leaning against the wall for support as most of the concoction began to circulate through his body, offering respite from the pain, his sore muscles, and the migraine. Lady Azura steadied him, giving him time and space to find his composure again. Of course, she was concerned. She was worried that he might black out. From afar, she had been watching his spar with Laslow from underneath a tree. With a vigilant eye, she noticed from the battle that there was a sudden change in Niles’ behavior, a shift so sudden only a watchful eye could have caught. And that was when she got up to fetch a concoction from the infirmary tent. It was to her relief that nobody was near the tent at the time, otherwise, she could have gotten stalled a moment too late and could have found Niles in a less then conscious condition.

“…zura…Lady Azura?” his voice shook her out of her reverie. She glanced up at him—she hadn’t noticed that she was staring intently at his hands. They were calloused—much more than her own. _What kind of life did you lead, long ago?_ Of course, Niles did tell her details of his exploits when he was younger, before he had met Leo. But those were days of lore—days of a murky past in which he was cautious to divulge in.

“I’m ready to head back to my tent now, if you do not mind.” His voice was low and scratchy, as if he was wrestling his demons.

_What demons do you face Niles? Surely I could assist you…only if you open up to me…_ Azura thought forlornly. But she offered a small smile as she turned her attention back to him.

“As you wish,” she replied back, equally as quiet. “But please, do not exhaust yourself this much. It makes me worry—as your friend.”

…

This was their relationship, the kind that was conveyed by a few understanding words. Usually, they both wouldn’t pry into each other’s lives unless one or the other was comfortable talking about it. And that was fine with Azura—she wasn’t the kind to pry into affairs she didn’t belong in. She was reserved and kept others away. But some people, were an exception.

From there, they began to slowly walk back to his tent. It was a long, arduous feat actually. Niles was much heavier than expected, and Azura noted that she needed to work on training more, building more muscle by carrying crates and boxes around. Niles had one arm slung across her shoulders, and she tried to carry them forward with each step. Their walk was mainly quiet, and luckily, half the troops were out on a small mission to protect a small village. Or they were trying to salvage what was left of a village—Azura couldn’t remember what it was, but Lord Corrin chose many troops for this mission. The ones that stayed behind had been busy restocking the armory, or handling daily chores distributed evenly in the army. Other than that, she had felt lucky that she hadn’t been chosen on the mission. Otherwise, she wondered if Niles would have been blacked out in a remote spot, maybe by evening would someone discover him. She wasn’t sure, and she didn’t want to dwell on the details.

Finally, as they were nearing the tents, Niles had decided to pipe up, offering his two cents. She almost sighed in relief—Niles was coming back. The usual Niles.

“Maybe you should have chosen better friends, milady.” He reflected from what she said before. There was a weak smile on his face.

Azura found this somewhat amusing.

“ _Ah_ ,” she began thoughtfully, trying to lighten up the mood. “but _you_ were the one who came to me first, did you not?” and Azura smiled back.

After a moment or two, she noticed that he moved his hand, covering his mouth almost. It was, as if, he was trying to conceal his smile. And she turned her head to the side, pretending not to notice his gesture. “It’s beautiful outside, is it not?”

And they were quiet once more. But not that sullen, distant kind of silence.

Instead, it was the comfortable kind of silence.

The kind shared between close friends.

* * *

 After that day—Niles swore to Lady Azura that he would try to be more careful in the future. The princess wasn’t completely persuaded, but nevertheless, she relented and left him alone. He was able to recover from the migraine, and several days have passed since the migraine incident. Luckily, Lady Azura was there to find him. Otherwise, it would have involved a concerned Lord Leo and a fretful healer—maybe a few others too. But he was glad that Lady Azura was the one to find him.

And perhaps he would like to return the favor. After all, he abhorred the idea of being in debt to someone. He shuddered to think about his days in slum—a debt could have been _anything_. Pushing his thoughts aside, Niles ducked out of his tent. He shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight and basked in the warm day.

Maybe he should fraternize with Lady Azura later again. Or Lady Camilla and her retainer, Beruka. It would be nice good relations with people in the army. After all, it would be beneficial to have connections strewn across all professions and ranks.

Niles began to walk toward the courtyard, going through a mental list of allies he was on neutral or good terms with. _Charlotte, Lord Leo, Odin, Lady Camilla, Lady Elise, Beruka…we’re all on decent terms with each other, no doubt. On the other hand though…Effie and Arthur—heh, they’re both fun to tease…but I should be careful with the Effie. Who knows who’s neck she’s going to break with her bare hands?_

Hiding a smile, Niles continued walking toward the courtyard with ease. For some reason, he’s been feeling a bit better, ever since the migraine that occurred a few days ago. _Maybe it was because I actually got decent sleep for once,_ he mused.

_Or maybe it’s the fact that Lady Azura regarded you as her ‘friend.’_

Either way, he felt his mood shift a bit. Maybe it gave him a sense of purpose—that someone actually cared for him.

As the courtyard came into view, he noticed a trio standing around, talking animatedly amongst themselves. It was Selena, Odin, and…Laslow.

He watched them from afar, noticing how comfortable they were with each other, all of them laughing and Odin placing a comforting hand on Laslow’s shoulder. Selena seemed to smile as she playfully pushed Laslow’s shoulder after he made a comment, and Odin burst out laughing.

Suddenly, something inside of Niles’ body stirred—he couldn’t figure out what it was. But he automatically turned around, his back against the cheery trio. His mood was still content but…

_Ah…what an impending feeling…_

_…is it desolation? No, no—I’m not jealous of their happiness. That would be petty._

He overheard the trio’s laughter. The feeling began to churn in his stomach.

Niles continued walking away, looking straight ahead with a stoic face.

_What a strange feeling…_

* * *

From the corner of Laslow’s eyes, he saw a snowy haired figure walking by. He excused himself from his friends for a moment and he heard Odin laughing at something and Selena letting out an amiable sigh. “You better get back here Laslow!” she smiled, then she turned her attention back to the blond.

Truthfully, Laslow didn’t know why he made an excuse in the first place. He had a nagging feeling that something happened to Niles—but he wasn’t sure what. For the past few days, he noticed that Niles had been accompanied by Lady Azura and for once—Niles was _smiling_ at her. A genuine, friendly smile at someone else. It was almost baffling, since he didn’t think someone like Niles would get along with Lady Azura—it was a bit startling to see two unlike people bond.

And now he was curious. Laslow was curious to how those two were able to bond so quickly. In fact, he hadn’t seen Niles interact with his allies that much—only his liege, Odin, and a few others.

Maybe Laslow felt a tiny bit jealous Niles was always on edge or distant with him.

_No, no—why would I be jealous? I just want us to get along…_

Without thinking, he was already in front of Niles’ tent.

“What am I doing?” Laslow murmured to himself, confused. He didn’t think this through—but his feet led him here. “I don’t think Niles wants to be bothered right now…”

_But it’s the only way to be on good terms with him,_ Laslow reasoned. _Yet I don’t have anything to say to him. Maybe I should come back another time. I don’t know what I was thinking walking here without a plan in mind…_

Turning around, he began to walk away.

_Well, Selena and Odin are probably waiting for me. We three should all head out to town tonight—it’d be nice to relax a bit before the next skirmish. I think Selena wanted a new yukata and Odin wanted—_

“Laslow,”

Laslow jumped, startled by the voice behind him. Turning around, his eyes were locked into steely blue ones.

“Niles,” Laslow greeted, acknowledging the bow knight.

Niles took a step closer toward the hero, crossing his arms across his chest. “Did you need something?” he narrowed one eye. “I just saw you hovering near my tent—I’m assuming you wanted to talk to me?”

_Might as well come clean with it. Establishing trust is everything._

“I—I did. But I didn’t know what I’d say to you,” Laslow explained sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’d still like for us to be on good terms with each other. But I don’t know how else we could bond, other than sparring and the like.”

There was a pause between them, and Laslow could only glance at Niles once before dropping his eyes to the ground.

“You know,” Niles began, automatically making Laslow’s eyes go back to his face. “there _are_ other ways we could get to know each other. But for right now, I am not in the mood.” He began to walk away, passing Laslow.

The hero felt almost disappointed by the short interaction. But his ears perked up again as Niles continued to talk as he walked by.

“But if you wish to make amends, gives it some time. You should understand that I still don’t fully trust you—but in due time, I think I _might_ be able to. Just for now—allow me to have some space. Lord Leo requests my presence.”

Niles slinked away, disappearing as he passed another tent.

Laslow stood there, soaking in all the words the latter just said.

_In time…he should trust me._

Laslow shook his head, feeling a small smile tug at the corners of his lips.

_This is progress—albeit, small. Close enough, Laslow._

He began to walk back toward the courtyard, remembering that his friends were still waiting for him.

_Close enough._


	7. Fondness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **UPDATED this chapter with more details and such. It's slightly a bit different.
> 
> Sorry for not delivering these chapters very frequently. 
> 
> *I also made a reference to Niles and Mozu's support conversation, just very subtle though. 
> 
> Enjoy!

 

Mozu wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She had just finished weeding out a small section of the garden—in the astral plane of course—and made more room to grow vegetables and fruit trees. The soil here seemed fertile and rich with nutrients, _dark brown and cool to the touch_ , she thought. The soil reminded her of the village, and despite that, she didn’t feel a longing for home. (At least, she tried to tell herself that anyway. Mozu would occasionally wipe a tear or two away as she plucked away at the uninvited weeds, fondly recalling what her parents would’ve said. _Ma and pa would say the dirt’s ripe for planting here! Peaches, apples—the lot of it can be done here._ ) Day after day—she would come back to the clear the land, with a hoe, basket, and other wooden tools in tow.

It almost shocked her how there was a lack of gardening apparatuses. So Mozu took the liberty into making a few tools with broken weapons and sticks laying around, nobody would need useless weapons anyways. _Better to put ‘em to good use,_ she mused, tying together a makeshift hand fork out of whittled sticks and –not surprisingly—a longer stick. As finished tying it off, she poked the ground with the hand fork. It seemed sturdy enough and she deemed it was passable to use.

  _Lord Kamui should invest in some harvesting stuff—this’ll only break after a handful of tries._

Once again, she was out in the field on an early morning after breakfast. She felt proud as she cleared yet another small patch, ready to plant seeds and having an abundance of crops to grow. Although, she did wish for more assistance, but only to those who were willing or were just bored idly standing by. She had enlisted the help of Kaze, Keaton, and Effie, since they were all eager to help out in the army. Finally, today, they were able to harvest the fruits of their labor. Unfortunately, with the war building up outside the astral plane, many troops were sent to battle or scouting in the nearby area—either in the real world or astral plane. Invisible troops were still a danger to their astral refuge.

 Others had daily chores to attend too, and some were wounded when they got back from their mission. This lead to Mozu  being  one of the few left to tending the garden and orchids as of late. It was fine for the first few weeks, but eventually, she realized how laborious it was too do everything by herself.

Sighing, she wondered how it would take days on end to gather all the crops and fruits. Perhaps the peaches were getting too ripe, and weeds were still in abundance somewhere further down the field and gardens. ( _Why did I choose land this big to work on?_ Mozu would think, but she remembered she wanted to provide more than enough food for everyone and that happily kept her working to dawn to dusk.) She had thought about asking Kaze for assistance, but he was out doing errands. Keaton had been busy fighting on the frontlines, and Effie was too.

Yet every once in awhile, a member of the army would just plop right in and help her out. She felt grateful for their voluntary assistance, and wished there would be more people who could assist. Laslow would occasionally stop by to chatter ad help, but she knew he wasn’t familiar with the way of the land. But she enjoyed his company and taught him a few pointers. Sometimes, Lord Kamui would come and help, but they too were inexperienced to see what was weed from crop. But even so, she appreciated all the help she could get. Sometimes, though, Mozu would reflect about how this was a good opportunity to meet another people within the camp. Even on occasion, she would see the stoic Niles come out and aid—and somehow, they managed to make conversation. She savored every new interaction, but knew it wouldn’t last forever.

Mozu knew that the troops were doing their best around the army—cleaning, fighting, scouting, blacksmithing, hunting, and so forth—and felt guilty to ask the others for help, since they spent a great deal fighting and not getting enough rest.

So after stretching a bit, she knelt to her knees and started pulling at the weeds again. Perhaps, someone would drop by and help her. If not, she was okay with that too.

Besides, she still wanted to pull her own weight around here.

* * *

“Mozu, how are you today?” a voice rang out, startling her out of her work. She threw the weeds in a small basket she had woven a week before. Looking up, she connected a face to the voice _. Laslow, huh?_

“Oh, hello,” she offered a friendly smile. “I’m a little tired but doing well. Just gardening and whatnot. _Say_ ,” she paused, gesturing toward the dirt and weeds. “Would you mind lending a hand? This takes a bit by yourself.”

Laslow glanced at the field, almost, as if, trying to calculate how long it would take to finish it. Judging by the look on his face, she felt a bit disheartened.

 “I just got back from fighting some faceless,”

 _Well, he does look worn out_ , she thought, examining the tatter in his clothes and the disheveled hair he had. There seemed to be some scratches along his face, and his sword seemed a bit chipped. Her expression dropped. _Better not push my luck…_

“Oh, well, that’s okay. I’m sure you’re tired then. Never mind—”

“ _No_!” he cut in quickly, and she glanced up, making a weird expression. Laslow looked sheepish, as if his words sprang faster than his thoughts. “I mean…I would like to help. Just…give me a few moments and I’ll be out soon, okay Mozu? Wouldn’t want a cute girl to do this by her lonesome!” he winked before leaving.

She could only stare out after the brunette before resuming her work. Fighting the urge to shake her head, she instead smiled and rubbed her nose, accidentally marking her face with dirt. But she didn’t mind it one bit.

“Heh, some folks are really kind, despite all the fightin’ and hardship.”

* * *

Hours later, Mozu and Laslow were still working at the fields. Eventually, though, they began to work like this for days, and even though Laslow seemed exhausted after the fights he was enlisted in, she knew he would still come back and help her, despite her newfound protests for his health. Laslow somehow laughed it off and continued hoeing the ground or fertilizing the plants. Mozu couldn’t help but to start admiring the hero. Whenever it her turn on kitchen duty, she would make sure to whip up some creamy desserts or Laslow’s favorite recipes; she wanted to show her gratitude for his kindness, and she knew he didn’t have to go out of his way to aid her.

One day, she found herself alone again in the fields. Laslow hadn’t shown up to help yet, but then again, she made sure Laslow should rest whenever he had the chance too. Perhaps she could ask Effie to come work the fields. But she remembered Effie had gone out on a scouting mission along with a few others. Her other friends were manning the kitchen or hunting mea, so once again, she was on gardening duty as always.

And Mozu didn’t mind—she was content with her occupation. Although, it would be wonderful to have someone to chat with while she worked away for hours. Luckily, the astral plane had always bore refreshing and lovely weather, so she toiled hours away into the afternoon, occasionally stopping for meals and a much deserved break.

As she finished slurping the last of her soup, she stretched a bit and went to the kitchen, putting the bowl away. Selena was washing the dishes, while Charlotte was making count of whatever ingredient was left. The blonde wrote them down—possibly a list of provisions to buy later. Walking out of the kitchen, she made her way back to the garden. The air had a nice breeze, and it brushed her hair away from her face. Tucking a dark strand behind her ear, she saw a figure already knelt over in the garden—they possibly had nothing better to do today, she thought, delighted to have someone come over.

As Mozu came closer, she tried to make out who the figure was—they had a hood pulled over their face. To her surprise, it was someone she hadn’t seen in awhile. She could remember those light tuffs of hair anywhere.

“Niles?” she spoke, standing before the bow knight himself.

Niles was already hunched over, pulling a few weeds out and tossing them into the basket she was working with. It looked like Niles had a good start, and he was careful and efficient about his work. “Thanks for helping out! But I haven’t seen you in awhile.” she knelt down, a few feet away from him.

It would be faster if they started at different ends.

“I’ve been busy with things, as of late,” he responded curtly.

Mozu went down the row, carefully plucking out the unwanted plants. It had been awhile since she last had a conversation with him. And she remembered how insensitive his comments at first were, but after speaking with him, she started to get used to his personality, his little quirks. Although—every now and then, his comments would get to her, but she didn’t mind them too much. Niles was just being Niles. People were just different, after all.

…

“Oh,” Mozu piped up, almost an hour of working later. She didn’t mind the silence, it felt natural enough. “I just remembered something.”

“Ooh?” she could hear the amusement in his tone, despite being several feet away from each other. “Are you finally considering my request?”

She was confused. “What? No—I meant…I wanted to thank you for something,”

“Oh,” the amusement in his voice deflated a bit.

Mozu tossed a few weeds aside. The basket they were sharing was overflowing with weeds. She could hear him tossing his batch of weeds into it.

“I wanted to thank you again for the other day, Niles.”

“I told you, I don’t need thanks.” He answered, making his way down the row of fields.

She paused. “You can be difficult sometimes.”

He didn’t respond, and she wasn’t irritated, just curious. She was only stating the obvious.

“You could always accept someone’s thank you by saying ‘you’re welcome’.”

Again, she was met with more silence. This time, she sighed. Partly at him, and partly at her stiff joints. “Sometimes, people are genuine about their gratitude, and whenever you are met with it—you should just accept it.”

She stood up and stretched again, her back had been aching for quite some time now. Beside, the day was starting to turn dark, but they were still out here working the fields like dedicated farmers. It made her almost sad to think about her family.

“Not everyone is out to get you, Niles. Sometimes, kindness is there for you and you only need but to accept it.”

She glanced over at the bow knight, and he was still intently tending to the fields. She wasn’t sure if he was consumed in his thoughts, or just outright ignoring her.

And she tried one last time to talk to him.

“You have to remember that there are good people out in this world—ready to help you when you need it most. Sometimes, it may come in a form of someone like Lady Azura; other times, it could come as a bumbling fool who means well. But nevertheless—kindness goes quite far, you know.”

With that being said, Mozu picked up the basket and started to haul it away from the field—she could dispose of them somewhere later.

But as she left, she could have sworn Niles had paused in his work, listening to her words.

* * *

“You seem to be in a more chipper state as of late,” Leo wrinkled his nose, as if, trying to figure out what caused his retainer’s behavior to improve in the last handful of days. “I’m surprised. Did you find something worth fighting for?”

Niles laughed—startling his liege. He continued whittling away new arrows as he responded. “No, milord. Fighting for you gives me a reason to live. _But_ ,” Niles paused, almost debating between saying his thoughts out loud. “I think I caught something contagious—bliss, as you would call it. I think it’s making me become a better person.”

“I don’t think ‘contagious’ is the right word,” Leo flipped a page, his eyes scanning a few lines before looking up at Niles and adding thoughtfully: “But I think it looks good on you. Happiness looks good on everyone—especially during these times.” Leo’s face dropped a bit, and he resumed reading. It was as if he hadn’t spoken at all.

“You seldom look happy, Niles. It’s just a bit refreshing to see my retainers smile for once.”

Niles paused and considered his words. Holding his arrow up toward the light, he noticed how deadly sharp his arrows were becoming. It could potentially cause fatal damage as it pierced through inches of skin.

It was perfect.

“You mustn’t worry about me or Odin’s happiness,” he responded, smiling a bit, even if Leo couldn’t see it. “We are here to protect and serve you—that gives us enough satisfaction as is.” Niles placed his arrow in his quiver and pulled out another arrow, examining it. His arrows were starting to look worn down, bent and chipped—some still had dried blood on it. He made a mental note to check his stash of gold to see if he could purchase some arrows. _Speaking of arrows…aren’t I missing one?_

But he ignored that thought and  remembered that funds were tight, and he had a feeling he would have to make his own weapons for awhile. It wouldn’t be too difficult gathering materials—it was just only time consuming.

 “Odin and I are here to serve—our duty to you is much more important than trivial feelings.” He mused over his words for a few seconds before hearing the clatter of armor plates and a sound akin to a book slamming shut.

“Halt, Niles.”

Apparently, Leo _did_ slam his book shut—it was quite abrupt. But for whatever reason, Niles did not understand why. He glanced up, looking at his liege, raising an eyebrow in response.  

 “Milord?” he was puzzled. “Did I say something out of line?”

 “You did,” the blond nodded.

He truly thought he didn’t’.

Then Leo stood up, his chair scrapping the ground as he moved toward latter, with his book in tow. He gazed down into Niles’ eyes and held them there, something stirring within them. He wasn’t sure what clockwork was going on in the boy’s mind, but something was evident.

“Pray tell milord,” The corners of Niles’ mouth twitched, almost into an amused smile. “What’s on your mind?”

He twirled the arrow between his fingers, awaiting for a response. Somehow, though, the atmosphere grew thick, with some sort of tension that made Niles realize: perhaps he _did_ say something out of line. He stopped the arrow from twirling about and held onto it, his gaze never faltering from Leo’s. In those calculating, crimson eyes, he felt himself being observed.

The conversation had shifted so suddenly that Niles felt a bit uneasy. He felt lucky that his composure didn’t give him away.

…

“Lord Leo?” he inquired.

“At ease, Niles,” Leo sighed, as if, sensing his retainer on edge, ready to pounce. “I just…”

Leo began to rub his eyes, almost uncharacteristically doing so. This made Niles concerned, and he was about to get up at a moment’s notice—ready to fetch water, food, anything his liege needed—since Leo _did_ look so worn out, with the constant late night tactical meetings and battles. He knew Leo was still young and shouldn’t be subjected to this kind of stress and horror—yet here they were now. The prince of Nohr on the frontlines, battling for his country’s safety, all while Niles forwent his duty as his retainer by indulging in personal matters. He mentally scolded, then cursed himself for not putting Leo’s health as a first priority. With the war raging on—combined with migraines and unfortunate distractions from people in the army—he had been slipping up, failing his duty to look after his prince.

(He felt almost ashamed for letting personal trivialities get in the way of his task.)

Deciding to screw all formalities, he carelessly tossed his arrows aside, making his was toward the prince. Leo only protested for a moment before taking a step back, but swayed a bit, causing Niles to reach out and steady the latter. The boy dropped his book and it was accidentally kicked to the side as Niles moved to Leo’s side. The bow knight hoisted Leo’s arm across his back, supporting him to stand as Leo staggered a bit.

“Lord Leo, you need to rest. Come with—” Concern was written across his retainer’s face, but Leo merely gestured away at it.

“I want you to understand something, Niles.” Leo began, slightly irritated that he wasn’t able to get a word in yet, but he was glad that Niles was there to assist him.

“Ooh, and what may that be, something more important than your wellbeing?” the retainer countered back, their eyes, never breaking contact. He meant it with all respect and regards to his lord. “Meetings shouldn’t last more than four hours. I noticed you weren’t in your tent the other day when you should’ve been. I was looking for you after Laslow stopped me and—” But Leo was the first to look away, glancing at the ground. He muttered something and the bow knight could hardly make out a word.

 _He looks like hell just fucked him over._ Niles felt his expression soften a bit.

“Milord?” he prompted gently, feeling Leo’s weight rest against his.

“You may see yourself first as my retainers—but know that I always see you first as my friends,” Leo murmured quietly, causing Niles to tense up as he heard those words.

Niles felt something in his chest tighten up, gripping him. He did not expect Leo to utter such words. He could only stare blankly ahead as Leo spoke, his words, like foreign policies to him. The retainer didn’t have enough time to process his thoughts, since Leo detangled his arm from Niles’ shoulders.

As his lord began walk away, Leo continued in a softer, weary tone. “Of course your happiness matters. Tsk, what kind of prince would I be if I didn’t acknowledge the happiness of my people? Of _my_ comrades?”

 He turned back to have one last look at Niles, his ruby eyes—glistening with a benevolence that left Niles utterly speechless.

“And I will take a nap, if it worries you that much.”

And Leo turned on his heels and left—leaving behind a trail of solemnity in the air as he passed through.

For the second time that day, Niles could only stand there and _stare_.

“What did I do to deserve such kind people in my life?” he muttered, closing his eyes and rubbing them. A flurry of emotions washed through him, and none of them fell on the spectrum of anger or exasperation. Instead, he felt…

At ease. Complacent. He was…content how things turned out. No matter how shitty his life was in the beginning—somehow, everything was starting to look up. Things were starting to turn out…less troublesome. Filled with more blissful moments.  

People were…worried about him. His liege. Mozu. Lady Azura. He felt something grip his chest, and it was a strange feeling. A good feeling. He couldn’t quite figure out what it was—but it felt heartwarming.

A pulse.

A surge of happiness.  

 _How long will this ‘bliss’ last?_ He mused. But he almost discarded the thought completely because, he knew for a fact—for a certainty—he felt _happy_. Elated even. Though Niles would never bring himself to admit it, he felt genuinely happy. He picked up his arrows and placed them back in his quiver, hoisting it over his shoulder. Somehow, he felt redeemed. Saved. Like a blessing reached him. A chance for renewal reached for him.

 If people were going to treat him like a human being, he might as well start acting like one.

He needed to find Leo again.

To thank him for his words that brought an epiphany to him. (Oh, and to return the book he forgot to pick up. It was accidentally kicked under the table.)

Then Mozu, because he hadn’t properly accepted her gratitude and wise words.

Then to Laslow.

…he was going to _try_ and give their relationship a chance for sure.

And maybe, just maybe—he wanted to believe the words Mozu spoke to him. That not all people were out to get him, and that there were kind individuals out in this world. His past may have forsaken him of loving memories, but he was able to create new ones. He could learn how to trust again. Learn how to feel again.

After all, not many individuals had the resolve to get to know him after a conversation or two. They would usually begin to keep their distance after learning about his lewd or dark remarks.

But somehow, all the people in his life he met—they were willing to accept him as he was. And maybe it does take a bit of patience and effort, maybe more effort on his part too. But he was willing to…change. Change for himself. Change for a better version of himself, at least.

And after giving it some thought, Niles came to a conclusion: Laslow was a special case. He genuinely seemed like a good person, wanting in to mingle within his life. It was like Laslow _cared_ about him.

“What a funny thought,” Niles murmured. “How could a bumbling fool come across so genuine?”

He pulled his hood over his face as he exited the building—he didn’t want others seeing a smile on his lips.


	8. Slowly But Surely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More rapport is being built!

“I am the _creation_ of my past. And if you think I’ll let you fucking mold me, then _think_ again,” he seethed viciously, blood seeping from his wounds. He staggered closer to the quivering figure on the ground, drawing back his bow and ready to aim. Never had he felt his countenance crack this deeply before—never had someone so abhorrent broken his calm composure this far. _But there’s always a first time_ , he mused, relishing the pleas of mercy his prey begged for. 

 “ _No, please…stop! I did only what I was told…”_ the man screamed, cradling his face with his arms. Blood was running down his skull, possibly fractured. He had swollen eyes and bruises adorning his face and arms. Teeth fragments were scattered across the ground in front of him, and the saliva pooling around the man’s mouth was mixed with blood.

The man had looked ghastly. His face—beaten to a disgusting pulp.

“If you want salvation,” Niles pulled back the bow string, steadying his aim. “I will gladly give it to you.”

Then, without a second thought, he let his bowstring go. The arrow flew with such vehemence that once it lodged itself into the victim’s head, the man fell backwards with a dull thud.

The scent of blood filled his nostrils as Niles walked closer, watching the life drain from the man’s eyes. Never had he felt such a sense of satisfaction in taking another life. He felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins and he could only watch—watch as the blood began to pool around the bastard’s head, painting the cobblestone crimson with revenge.

Revenge had never been sweeter—sweeter than the nectar that the gods received.  

* * *

Niles woke up to a mild headache—luckily it wasn’t a migraine. He could hardly piece together the dream he just had. Or was it a dream? He wasn’t too sure. The murky faces, the strange surroundings—everything seemed filmed over, like a fogged up window. Sitting up, he felt the first ray of light shine through the hole in his tent. He rubbed his eye momentarily, trying to gather his bearings before finally moving aside his blanket and reaching out for his eye patch.

Dream or no dream, it was better to forget it all. Slowly swinging his feet off the edge of the cot, he was careful not to agitate his headache even more. The past had offered nothing but spite and tainted memories—a hollow shell of himself. Memories often latched onto the corners of his mind, and it still proved difficult to silence his demons. But somehow, he managed—like he always did.

He stared down at his hands, calloused and worn from his arrows and profession.  

_Every day, you could try to be a better person._

He flexed his hands—clenching, then unclenching them. Still, his hands were the same—calloused and scarred.

_You’re not a monster, Niles._

The voice in his head was whispery and kind—akin to Lady Azura’s.

_Others care about you too…_

Leaning forward, still in a sitting position, he covered his face in his hands. Even though the lull of sleep was gone, he wondered if the voice was just his conscience.

When the moment of contemplation passed—he allowed himself to get up. Lacing together his boots, Niles proceeded to perform his morning routine. When everything was done, he grabbed his dusty blue cloak—it was a garment he didn’t want to give up, despite becoming a bow knight. It contained sentimental value, plus, it offered protection from the elements and aided in hiding weapons.

Grabbing his quiver and bow, Niles glanced over his shoulder one last time before letting the tent flap  fall over his shoulder.

_Seems like the headache is fading—what luck._ He mused.

Once outside, a fresh breeze jostled his hair around. Niles tucked some hair behind his ear and admired the serenity of the morning. The sunrise had more or less started and it appeared to him that he was one of the few awake right now. He started walking away from the sleepy tents and made his way toward the mess hall, lured in by the warm lights. The building appeared inviting, with a small banner adorning the entry way. A few tables and chairs were scattered in clusters, and whoever was on duty always made sure to respectively move four chairs back to each table at the end of the day. After making his way in, he swiped an apple and left without greeting whoever was on duty. Besides, he wasn’t in an interacting mood—sometimes it was better to slink on the outskirts of conversations. Or have none at all.

As he walked alongside the courtyard, he took a bite of his apple. It was fresh and juicy—kudos to Mozu for always picking apples at the right time. He made a mental note to acquire better tools for gardening, since, it was the least he could do to for her kind words. The corners of his mouth shifted upright, almost to a smile as he thought about the farmer girl. Mozu was a friendly and hardworking individual, and perhaps he should have given her more credit. She knew when to say the right words—especially when he didn’t want to hear it the most.  

“There are kind people in the world,” Niles thought out loud, taking another bite of his apple. After a few more chomps, he tossed away the core, knowing it was biodegradable. “Perhaps I’ve been exposed to all the worst ones possible, though…”

He trailed off, not bothering to finish his words. He felt his eyes wander up to the sky—soft hues of pinks and blues painted the sky. For once, Niles wondered why he absorbing in all the little details today. It was like he _changed—_ well, not _too_ much, but just enough for him to feel a bit different.

Like he reawakened. Something sprung from inside of him.

...or maybe today just _felt_ like a good day. By no means an _excellent_ day, but just a normal, decent, slightly less mundane day that might actually make him smile more. He wasn’t sure what though—but he just had a gut feeling that today was going to be a bit different.

* * *

Different was correct.

The whole day, Niles was training and helping out with chores that needed to be done. He went out for supplies and running errands for Leo, and Odin accompanied him for a bit before they parted. Hell, he even participated in the usual shenanigans Odin theatrically conjured up and he had to admit—it was _a bit fun_ to name weapons or just make shit up. It was a bit unusual for him to join in on Odin’s antics, but it was a pleasant surprise.

( _Just this once, I’ll play along_ …he’d think, as they walked through town together. _Today my bow is called the Crimson Sin…heh. Such silly nonsense…_ )

After Odin Dark parted—he was out looking for restorative salves and whatnot, upon Lady Elise’s request—Niles made his way back toward the alleys. He needed to hook up some connections to get some goods, since they were more or less difficult to obtain in times of war. A hooded figure was leaning against the inner wall of the alley way Niles approached, and Niles did a little wink-gesture combo to signify he was a client in need of something. The hooded figure slowly moved toward Niles and silently gestured at the box on the ground, nearly hidden by the long cape the person had. Niles clicked his tongue in approval and rummaged through his pockets, offering a few shiny coins freshly pressed. They were silver coins from the Nohrian palace itself.

“Thanks for the goods,” Niles spoke, leaning down to carry the package. Inside had a few pounds of sugar, something Lord Corrin requested, if possible. _Anything is possible with a few networks and strings_ , Niles thought smugly. “I’ll need to call you back on another errand later. Just some gardening tools or something—made of Hoshidan material, of course. Nohrian goods are too cheap and breakable right now.”

The hooded figure took the coins and examined them. After pocketing it with approval, the figure replied scratchily: “Good business. Won’t ask why you need gardening tools, but I’ll have a basic set within a few days. See you around.”

Niles watched as his ally disappeared back into the alley and turned around. His mission was complete—the goods were in his possession. Sugar was rarity among the town folk, and there was only a rationed amount distributed. Coupons were the only exchange rate to acquire sugar, but Niles was able to pull a few punches and get by with a flash of silver. As he made his way out of the alley, somebody appeared in front of him.

“Beruka,” he said, surprised by her appearance. They had crossed paths with each other every now and then in town, usually exchanging information about illegal goods or criminals on the loose. On the battlefield, they would look out for each other, but other than that—they hardly spoke about anything other than battle tactics, recent assassins, underground transactions, and the infamous blackmail material.

“Niles,” she said, acknowledging his presence. “There’s a new drug on the market. Thought you should know.” And she began to slowly make her way around him, armor slightly clinking together.

He caught a glimpse of her fleeting blue hair. “I dislike the narcotic trade—too much at risk. Better just to pawn or swipe off goods. So much easier.”

“Of course,” she said, before disappearing into the alley way shadows. Without a goodbye, he made his way back through town. The bustling activity in the square made it easy to get lost in, but he knew his way around the place. They had visited this town a handful of times, and it was just a good area to scout out the latest goods and supplies. It was situated right between Nohr’s and Hoshido’s border. _Sooner or later, I bet this place will be under King Garon’s rule,_ he thought, remembering that they were still at war.

The war toiled on relentlessly, and with Lord Corrin leading part of the army—the Nohrian troops were gaining ground and conquering towns little by little as they made their way closer toward the oriental country. Sooner or later, they would eventually face off the High Prince of Hoshido—something that seemed to spark a forlorn and melancholic look from Lord Corrin. Niles wondered if their leader ever had regrets about choosing to fight for Nohr rather than side with their birth country—but he waved the thought away. It was just better to worry about his own problems and liege right now.

(He was glad that he didn’t have to lead a whole army—the pressure was undeniable great, and perhaps that could be situated one someone else’s shoulders.)

Making his way through the crowded square again, he bought a few more goods before meeting up with Odin again. The blond mage was found near a small shop, carrying two bags full of vegetables and fruits,  and was conversing with someone nearby. He couldn’t see who it was but he called out to his ally and Odin glanced toward Niles, offering a smile. It looked like Odin excused himself the conversation and made his way toward the bow knight.

“Good to see you again, my roguish alley. All goods have been acquired on my end, and I’m assuming you’ve done your fair share?”

Niles nodded in agreement. “I have.”

“Let’s make haste! Lord Leo awaits our presence!”

And the two began to make their way out of the town and back into an area where the astral plane could be activated again. No longer questioning the strange and the unusual, he allowed the light of the portal to warp them back into their safe haven.

* * *

Another cross flitted across Niles’ mind as he made his way around the courtyard. The dimming afternoon light signaled dinner would be approaching soon, and by the looks of it—today had been a long day filled with errands and duties. Troops on scouting missions came back not too long ago and they were enjoying a brief reprise from the trip. Niles lingered under the tree house of Lord Corrin’s chambers, enjoying the setting sun as he waited for the scouting troops to pass by. He saw Keaton the Wolfssegner, his clothes a bit tattered, most likely from a scuffle of invisible soldiers or the like. He kept his distance with many of the other members of the army, but he liked to keep a profile on all of them.

Watching more troops shuffle in through the entry way, he saw Effie walking through the gates of their castle and she looked somewhat weary, but still full of fight in her. Lady Elise came bounded up to her friend and began to fret over the dents in Effie’s armor.

Niles watched only for a bit longer before leaving his place under the tree house, wondering what else was there left to do before the day was over. He ran through a mental checklist as he aimlessly wandered around the castle grounds, dodging people to and fro. Lady Azura looked like she was having a pleasant conversation with Kaze again, and it seems like Beruka had just arrived back from the astral portal. He made another note to ask more details about the new drug later, even if he disliked the trade. Useful information like this could go a long way, he mused.

As he trailed to a stop he realized he had reached his tent again. Shadows began to lick the dark corners of the tents, it seemed that dinner would be within an hour or so. Taking a glance around, nobody seemed to be near the tents and he slinked inside the privacy of his place. Mindlessly going through his picklocks and fumbling with some daggers, he felt like he was forgetting something…but he wasn’t sure what. So he went through his mental checklist again: _Dealt with Mozu…got supplies…details around town…what else, what else…_

He listed a few more ideas before finally, his eyes wandered onto his desk. There was a dark tome encrusted with gold lining situated on the table. From the way he stood, he notice a page creased, possibly as a bookmark.

_Ah._

Leo had dropped his book the other day. Perhaps his liege was looking for it throughout the morning. Whatever was the case, he decided to take the book into his hands and observed. It nice book, carefully bound and the pages seemed thick and full of phrases that looked like it belonged in another language. Whether it was incantations or spells, Niles was puzzled by how some people were naturally gifted with magic. He, on the other hand, was blessed with an ability to shoot from a bow. But practice was still required, yet it became second nature him to string and fire away. _But too each of their own_ , he though, closing the book and making his way out of his tent.

The tent flap fell over his shoulder as Niles left. With the book in tow, he wondered if Leo was resting in his tent or minding his business around the castle. Whatever the case, he could always just discreetly drop by the prince’s tent and plop the book on his bedside.

Evening was beginning to set in and faintly, he could start making out a few stars. The mess hall was already lined with a few members of the army and he wondered if he should have an early dinner. He was getting a bit peckish after a long, busy day. But there was something else that probed at his thoughts, despite trying to occupy his minds with all sorts of things.

_Laslow._

He had hardly seen the brown haired man all day and wondered what he was up too. Possibly wooing women in town, or maybe…he had heeded Niles’ words and opted to give him space. It was good that the latter respected his wishes, and perhaps getting to know Laslow wouldn’t be too bad. After all, his comrade seemed like a harmless alley, just eager to please and fight for his country. _If he wants us to bond, I’m sure we could do so…though I still wonder why he’s so relentless with me in particular._

_Ah…oh well. It should be fun toying with him. He has a nice face too, maybe it’ll look better contorted in pain or pleasure. Heh._

Niles held onto the book at his side and walked over toward the mess hall. Laslow seemed nowhere in sight and wondered how he should properly approach the latter. Perhaps he should just think about it as he grabbed a quick snack, then head to Leo’s quarters, then comeback for dinner. The plan seemed simple enough—beside, it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with scintillating conversation.

Or, he thought, as he surveyed the mess hall, only a handful of feet away from the building. He could just catch the brunette _after_ dinner. Entering the mess hall, he saw Selena grabbing a tray of food and Lord Corrin grabbing a roll and some fruit. Niles swiped a roll and made his way back out, seeing Benny and Charlotte making their way into the building.

 Taking a savory bite from the bread, he glanced around and remembered where Leo’s tent was. It was a bit away from the others since he liked to be left alone and such. Niles swiftly made his way across camp and paused, trying to listen if Leo was inside or not. Hearing nothing and moved the tent flap aside, and was surprised to see his liege laying on cot, eyes closed.

“Milord?” Niles said quietly, moving inside the tent and gently placing the tome on the table beside him.

There was no response from the blond and he decided it was in his best interest to at least wake the young prince up in time for dinner.

“Lord Leo, you’ll miss dinner if you keep sleeping,” Niles touched Leo’s shoulder, slowly shaking him awake. The latter stirred a bit and only mumbled something before turning to his side, evident that he didn’t want to get up.

Niles only watched his liege for a bit longer before silently backing out his tent. He could bring dinner to the prince—and maybe fetch a healer to see what was wrong. Stress and fatigue were probably eating away at Leo’s physical and mental state.

Facing away from Leo’s tent, he stood beside it and closed his eyes for a moment to think.

Hopefully he could get some tomato soup and bread for his lord. If not, he could try his hand at cooking.

With Leo’s wellbeing fresh in his mind, Niles walked back to the mess hall. It seemed lively as he came back, with more troops milling around for seconds and chatter. He slinked his way through and procured a tray of dinner for himself first. He took a seat near the edge of the mess hall and Odin joined him. They spoke for a bit but after finishing his meal, Niles excused himself. Luckily, Odin didn’t question him and allowed him to leave without a fuss.

Getting himself some soup—lady luck was on his side, tomato soup was freshly served—and some soft bread, he left through a side door of the kitchen. He noticed Selena giving him an odd look but she resumed back to eating and chatting with someone.

Niles stepped back into the cool evening air and carefully balanced the tray in one hand as he closed the door clicked shut behind him.

“Niles?”

He fumbled with the tray for a brief second but adjusted his composure, taking the tray with both hands again. There was a small lantern hanging on top of the backdoor he walked out from, and on the outskirts of the light, he saw boots. Glancing up, he saw Laslow standing a few feet away from him.

The brunette looked a bit confused, but he offered a small smile at Niles.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I’ll just go that over there instead…” Laslow trailed off, awkwardly rubbing his arm. He seemed to hesitate for a second before finally stepping out of Niles’ path, and this amused the bow knight.

“It’s fine. Though…what are _you_ doing here, slinking along the backside of the kitchen? That doesn’t seem like you.” Niles walked down the paneled steps, stopping two feet away from the hero.

“I—uh—that’s not really…” Laslow fumbled for his words, but he gathered himself before sighing. “It’s less crowded if you enter through this way. I’ve been helping Mozu carrying stuff through here so I just got used to it.”

Laslow inched a bit closer, almost, as if, he was testing his boundaries with him. Niles stood his ground, a smile almost appearing on his features in the dark.

“But…what are _you_ doing out here? With that tray and food and all, it looks like you’re giving it to someone else,” Laslow face dropped a bit as Niles raised an eyebrow at him. Laslow visibly swallowed, realizing he might have been overstepping his boundaries and took a step back. “…but that’s not my concern, I understand, sorry. I’ll just…leave it to you then.”

He made a gesture for Niles to go ahead but Niles didn’t budge. He only stared back at the hero, figuring out how to make the conversation continue. For some reason in particular, he couldn’t think of a normal topic to discuss about.  

_Why am I drawing a blank right now? How unusual…_

The silence soon grew and this elicited another puzzled expression from Laslow. Laslow cleared his throat and this shook Niles from his thoughts. Yes, he remembered, he was still carrying the tray of food. It’ll be cold if it doesn’t reach Leo in time.

Perhaps he’ll think more about his conversation after getting this meal to his liege.

“I’d like to talk to you more after dinner,” Nile stated calmly, beginning to move away from Laslow.

“I…what?”

“I’ll be back, I think I’ll give this ‘friendship thing’ another try,” glancing over his shoulder, Niles smirked and made his way into the dark again.

* * *

Laslow only stared after the bow knight, shaking his head by the strange interaction. Well, he wasn’t sure what to expect from the rogue—nothing but surprises and misgivings. Yet, trust seemed to be building. Slowly, but steady, he thought, feeling relief as walked through the building and into the kitchen. Mozu greeted him and they had some light chatter about their day. After getting food piled onto his plate, he took a seat around some friends and dug into his meal. Despite the hearty chatter going on around his table, he could only think of one thing: what on earth could he and Niles talk about?

But a smile grew on his face as he absentmindedly nodded to something his ally said. It was a start alright. And he was happy. He was quite happy that Niles decided to take the initiative and talk to him first.

“What are you smiling about?” Selena nudged his shoulder, curious. “Did you finally win over a poor girl?”

Odin made his way toward the group and patted Laslow’s shoulder. “Alas, he captured a fair maiden’s heart. I knew that spell would work—Odin Dark, strikes again!”

Laslow only shook his head, chuckling a bit from his friends’ words. “Nothing of the sort—can’t a guy just smile without a reason?”

“Well yeah you can—but it’s a little creepy,” Selena added in thoughtfully, stirring her soup with her spoon. “But anyway, don’t let that soup get cold, Laslow. It’ll be a waste since I took a lot of time preparing it. It’s Lord Leo’s favorite recipe, you know.”

 “Is it? I didn’t know that.” Laslow remarked, glancing at the soup in front of him. He took a tentative sip and the flavor began to burst on his taste buds. There was a right amount of pepper and salt, with some cheese sprinkled in. It tasted heavenly and he didn’t realize how hungry he was until he finished the soup.

“Told you,” Selena said, gnawing on a piece of bread as Laslow proceeded to eat some fruit, to freshen his breath from garlic on the soup.

“It’s really impressive. I would like to cook like you someday,” he smiled, offering a sincere smile at his red haired friend. She smiled in return and continued eating her bread. Odin, on the other hand, got up to stock pile his plate with more food.

After a few more minutes of chewing on some peaches, Laslow wiped his mouth with a napkin and glanced around the mess hall. The building was comfortable and large enough for most of the army to eat inside. But some preferred the outdoors since the weather was usually cool in the evening. One by one, he saw at least a few friends and comrades walk through the door, with smiles and animated chatter on their faces. Most of the royal siblings had gone through, either with a retainer or ally accompanying them. Yet to his surprise, he didn’t see Lord Leo enter through once.

“Selena, you said Lord Leo liked tomato soup, right?”

Selena shifted into a more comfortable position on her chair. “I did—I used the finest ingredients and everything. Why?” she quirked an eyebrow and looked at Laslow.

His eyes were scanning the room and she followed suit. “So then…where is he? If it’s his favorite, shouldn’t he had come by to get some by now?”

Selena paused in eating her second roll, her eyes, still wandering around the room. Her gaze finally settled somewhere in the distance before she responded back to him, albeit slowly. It was as if she was still trying to string her thoughts together. “…maybe he came by earlier to get some. I’m not sure…but...”

She grew silent, her face clouded with thought. Before Laslow could make a comment, he saw her eyes glitter and then—she abruptly stood up, almost knocking her chair over. “…maybe _that’s_ why…!”

“Sorry, Laslow. I just remembered something I need to take care of.” She murmured a few things under her breath and excused herself, hurrying into the kitchen.

Laslow was confused by what conclusion she came up with and he continued nibbling on some more fruit, trying to go through the same thought process like she did. _Well, about thirty minutes ago, I was on a scouting mission and just came back, all showered and clean too. But then I felt hungry and drifted toward the mess hall…then I saw Niles stepping out through the back door carrying a tray of food—and my gods did HE scare ME—but I was just minding my own business and I…_

…

_Ah._ The realization hit him. Laslow dropped his apple core and it landed dully on the ground. He bent down to pick it up—his mind, connecting the pieces together.

There was probably something wrong with Lord Leo, and maybe that was why Niles carried the tray.

_Huh._

It seemed like Niles was capable of being a kind retainer. Laslow had never witnessed Niles doing an act of kindness, and he felt a tingling feeling in his chest. So Niles did have a heart after all. But it was reserved to those closest to him.

_Like Lord Leo._

Despite the slow progression of their friendship—or whatever it was—Laslow couldn’t help but feel a tinge of…animosity of their close relationship. As retainer and liege.

Of course, he and Lord Xander were close too. But one day, he knew he would have to leave Xander’s side. And maybe, just maybe, that explained why Laslow was feeling a bit jealous over Niles and Lord Leo’s fondness for each other—they were able to make ties that lasted an eternity. But for him, Odin, and Selena, they were foreigners to this country—of _this_ world. They were here with a purpose, not to make friends with everyone. It would be harder to leave this world behind once he had to go back. The ties and friendships he made, he would have to sever them once more.

And once was already enough.

…

He didn’t realize the apple core in his hand was crushed to a juicy pulp. Shaking his hand from the squishy mush, Laslow unceremoniously wiped his hand on the table cloth. He felt sorry for Selena and whoever else was on duty to clean the apple mess, but he knew what he wanted to do.

Getting up from his seat, he walked toward the exit. Even if his ties were going to be severed, he might as well try to be friends with the people he wants to be friends with. Even if some friendships took a lifetime to make, it was certainly better than meeting no friends at all.

He took the first step out into the cool air, and leaning against a tree, he saw silhouette of the bow knight.

“Niles,” Laslow greeted him, with a newfound confidence.

“Laslow,” Niles smiled back, pushing himself off the tree. “Nice to see you kept your promise.”

They stood in front of each other, a few feet away, with something in the air almost cackling between them. It was almost humorous, yet solemn from a bystander’s perspective.

“I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I would like to get to know you better,” Laslow explained, suddenly feeling his face flush a bit. But the guise of night hid the light blush on his face, and he was thankful for that. “And I understand that will take time. But I’m willing to…be patient with you. Honest.”

Niles studied him, his blue eye gleaming with an unreadable expression.

“I know,” was all he said, and a smile formed on his lips. “We can start by having a simple conversation.”

“Of course,” Laslow agreed. “Building rapport.”

“Well, come on then lover boy. Follow me,” Niles was the first to move. His cloak fluttered in the wind as he turned around. The moon appeared out from behind the clouds, a glint of silver outlining the edges of the bow knight. Laslow could only watch from a afar as the latter walked on.

“W-Where are we going?”

Niles glanced over his shoulder, a mysterious smile donning his face. “What? Afraid of my intentions? Just come with me and you’ll find out soon…”

Deciding to have a semblance of faith in him, Laslow took a steady step forward.

Slowly but surely, he followed.

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews would make me smile! I intend to write a handful of more chapters developing their friendship/relationship/or whatever you'd like to call it! Heh. They might end up together, but it'll only depend on my plot. Thoughts? Thank you for reading! :D


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